The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)

(Established 1956)

Status

United Nations specialised Agency

Mission

Seeks to accelerate and enlarge the contribution of atomic energy to peace, health and prosperity throughout the world.

Activities

Both the IAEA and the NEA are, inter alia, concerned with, and provide an input to, the control of radioactive waste disposal to the marine environment. The United Kingdom is a member of both organisations.

In each case, the responsibilities of the two organisations can be conveniently divided between:

1. The dumping of packaged low-level radioactive wastes into the deep ocean.

The IAEA is designated as the competent international body to provide advice and recommendations concerning the application of the provisions of the London Convention (LC72) to the practice of dumping packaged low-level radioactive wastes into the oceans.

The United Kingdom has been represented on Advisory Groups and Technical Committees, and has provided scientific consultants (including staff from Defra and CEFAS, who have formalised the advice and recommendations required by the LC72. The major task has been to define ‘high level radioactive wastes ... unsuitable for dumping at sea’, and required inputs from hydrography, geochemistry, marine biology and fisheries statistics. Other tasks have included:

• an assessment of the potential impact of radioactive waste dumping on marine populations

• the development of a database of radio nuclide concentration factors in marine organisms and distribution coefficients in marine sediments

• the development of an inventory of all inputs of radioactive wastes into the oceans.

2. The release of low-level radioactive liquid effluents into coastal waters.

The IAEA is much concerned with the safe application of nuclear energy to power production, including safe management of radioactive wastes. For discharges of low-level liquid radioactive effluents to coastal waters this has entailed the development of assessment methods for determining the potential radiation exposure of human groups from inputs of radio-nuclides to a variety of marine systems. Again, the United Kingdom has been well represented on the various Advisory Groups and Technical Committees providing scientific information on hydrography, geochemistry, marine biology, radio-biology, fisheries statistics and marine system modelling. Additionally, there has been United Kingdom involvement in IAEA sponsored coordinated research programmes.

The Agency fosters, encourages and advises on the development of peaceful uses of atomic energy throughout the world; operates and administers the international system of nuclear safeguards; organises meetings; publishes books; establishes safety standards for all types of nuclear activity; prepares feasibility and market studies; and operates three laboratories, including the marine laboratory in Monaco.

United Kingdom Interests

Lead Department

The Department of Trade and Industry, XNP 2a, Room 103, 4 Abbey Orchard Street, London SW1H 0ET.
Contact: Natasha Chopra.
Telephone: +44 (0) 20 7215 0711  Fax: +44 (0) 20 7828 0717  Email: natasha.chopra@dti.gsi.gov.uk

Other Interested Departments and Organisations

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Ashdown House, 123 Victoria Street, London, SW1E 6DE.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture (CEFAS), Lowestoft Laboratory, Pakefield Road, Lowestoft, Suffolk, NR33 0HT.

Department of Health, Richmond House, 79 Whitehall, London SW1A 2NL

Health and Safety Executive, Bootle, Liverpool L20 3LZ

National Radiological Protection Board, Chilton, Didcot, Oxon 0X11 0RQ

Department for International Development, 1 Palace Street, London SW1E 5HE.

Briefing and Reporting Mechanisms

Working Groups, Advisory Groups and Technical Committees reporting to the safety standards committees of the IAEA, and through them to the policy-making organs of the IAEA; the Board of Governors and the General Conference. UK input to the Board and General Conference is coordinated by the DTI.

Perspective

The United Kingdom priority has been to ensure that the advice and recommendations promulgated by the IAEA are securely based on the radiological health protection philosophy developed by the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) and a sound scientific understanding of the behaviour of radio nuclides in the oceans. The latter has required targeted research in the CEFAS programme.

For the release of low-level radioactive liquid into coastal waters, United Kingdom objectives are adequately met by the current level of participation which has been well coordinated by the Department of Trade and Industry.