SEPA Consultation - accepting radioactive waste on site

Sites in Scotland which manage Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material (NORM) waste or contaminated items from offshore oil and gas decommissioning activities require authorisation under the Environmental Authorisation (Scotland) Regulations 2018 (EASR).

Most of this waste will originate from oil and gas activity in the UK Continental Shelf, but there may be occasions where UK-based operators wish to manage NORM waste or contaminated items from other countries.  Such imports of waste are subject not only to control by regulations on transfrontier shipments of waste, but must also comply with UK Government policy on the import of radioactive waste. 

SEPA is currently consulting on an amendment to EASR permit conditions for the receipt of radioactive waste and contaminated items to require authorisation holders who receive shipments of radioactive waste or contaminated items from outwith the United Kingdom only do so in accordance with UK Government Policy for low level radioactive waste.

The consultation is available on Citizen Space and will be open for comment until 9 September 2020