The Radioactive Substances (Basic Safety Standards) (Scotland) Regulations 2000

Scottish Statutory Instruments

2000 No. 100

RADIOACTIVE SUBSTANCES

The Radioactive Substances (Basic Safety Standards) (Scotland) Regulations 2000

Made

31st March 2000

Laid before the Scottish Parliament

4th April 2000

Coming into force

13th May 2000

The Scottish Ministers, in exercise of the powers conferred upon them by section 2(2) of the European Communities Act 1972(1) and of all other powers enabling them in that behalf, hereby make the following Regulations:

Citation, commencement and extent

1.—(1) These Regulations may be cited as the Radioactive Substances (Basic Safety Standards) (Scotland) Regulations 2000 and shall come into force on 13th May 2000.

(2) These Regulations extend to Scotland only.

Amendment of the Radioactive Substances Act 1993

2.—(1) In section 15(1) (further exemptions from sections 13 and 14) of the Radioactive Substances Act 1993(2) after the words “clocks or watches” (where those words first appear) there shall be inserted the following:–

“(a) where the total quantity taken together of each of the radionuclides listed in column 1 of Table A below present in the clocks and watches on any premises does not exceed the amount set out in column 2–

TABLE A

Radioactive material	Relevant value
Tritium	109 becquerels
Promethium 147	107 becquerels
Radium 226	104 becquerels

or

(b) where

(i) the total quantity of the radionuclides listed in column 2 of Table B below present in each such clock or watch of the type listed in column 1 of that table does not exceed the amount set out in column 3–

TABLE B

Type of clock or watch	Radioactive material	Relevant value (becquerels)
(i) Luminised time measurement instruments(3)- (a) worn or carried on the person	Tritium Promethium 147	2.8 × 108 5.5 × 106
(b) not worn or carried on the person	Tritium Promethium 147	3.7 × 108 7.4 × 106
(ii) Special luminised time measurement instruments(4)	Tritium Promethium 147	9.3 × 108 1.9 × 107
(iii) Watches containing gaseous tritium light sources(5)	Tritium	7.4 × 109
(iv) Radium luminised timepieces(6)- (a) wristwatches	Radium 226	3.7 × 103
(b) alarm clocks	Radium 226	5.5 × 103
(c) special time measurement instruments	Radium 226	5.6 × 104

• and

(ii) no more than five items falling within Table B which constitute radioactive waste are present on any premises”.

SARAH BOYACK

A member of the Scottish Executive

St Andrew’s House,

Edinburgh

31st March 2000

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations, which extend to Scotland only, amend the Radioactive Substances Act 1993 (1993 c. 12) in order to implement in part the Basic Safety Standards Directive (Council Directive 96/29/Euratom) in relation to the disposal or accumulation of radioactive waste arising from clocks or watches.

Section 15 of the Radioactive Substances Act 1993 is amended so that the further exemptions from sections 13 and 14 of the Act provided for in section 15, in relation to the disposal or accumulation of radioactive waste arising from clocks or watches, are limited to circumstances–

(a) where the total radioactivity on any premises does not exceed the relevant reporting levels set out in column 2 of Table A to Annex 1 of the Directive; or

(b) where specified limits on the quantity of radioactive waste and the types of clocks and watches are met.

The levels set out in Table B of the Regulations are those allowed by The International Standard document ISO 3157:1991(E) “Radioluminescence for time measurement instruments – Specifications” a copy of which may be obtained from The Environment Protection Unit, Radioactive Waste Team, 1 J(N), Victoria Quay, Edinburgh EH6 6QQ

(1)

1972 c. 68. Section 2(2) was amended by the Scotland Act 1998 (c. 46), Schedule 8, paragraph 15(3). The function conferred upon the Minister of the Crown under section 2(2) of the European Communities Act 1972, insofar as within devolved competence, was transferred to the Scottish Ministers by virtue of section 53 of the Scotland Act 1998.

(2)

1993 c. 12.

(3)

ISO 3157: 1991(E), “Radioluminescence for time measurement instruments – Specifications”.

(4)

ISO 3157: 1991(E), “Radioluminescence for time measurement instruments – Specifications”.

(5)

NEA, “Radiation Protection Standards for Gaseous Tritium Light Devices” (1973).

(6)

IAEA, “Radiation Protection Standards for Radioluminous Timepieces” (1967).