The Radioactive Substances (Natural Gas) Exemption Order (Northern Ireland) 2003

Statutory Rules of Northern Ireland

2003 No. 95

RADIOACTIVE SUBSTANCES

The Radioactive Substances (Natural Gas) Exemption Order (Northern Ireland) 2003

Made

25th February 2003

Coming into operation

28th March 2003

The Department of the Environment in exercise of the powers conferred on it by sections 8(6) and 15(2) of the Radioactive Substances Act 1993(1) and of every other power enabling it in that behalf, hereby makes the following Order:

Citation and commencement

1.  This Order may be cited as the Radioactive Substances (Natural Gas) Exemption Order (Northern Ireland) 2003, and shall come into operation on 28th March 2003.

Interpretation

2.—(1) In this Order: –

“decay products” means, in relation to any radionuclide, the radionuclides succeeding it in the same radioactive series;

“natural gas” includes liquified petroleum gas;

“specified natural gas” means natural gas which contains radon-222, polonium 210, lead 210, and their decay products in concentrations which do not exceed 10 becquerels per gram for each radionuclide.

(2) The Interpretation Act (Northern Ireland) 1954(2) shall apply to this Order as it applies to a Measure of the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Exemption from registration

3.  A person who on any premises which is used for the undertaking carried on by him keeps or uses, or causes to be used or permits to be kept or used, specified natural gas or a natural gas product is exempted from registration under Section 7 of the Radioactive Substances Act 1993 in respect of the keeping and use of that substance on those premises.

Exemption from authorisation

4.  Sections 13 and 14 of the Radioactive Substances Act 1993 shall not apply to a disposal or accumulation of radioactive waste, which is specified natural gas.

Sealed with the Official Seal of the Department of the Environment on 25th February 2003.

L.S.

Judena Goldring

A senior officer of the

Department of the Environment

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Order.)

This Order excludes from the registration and authorisation requirements of the Radioactive Substances Act 1993, persons who keep, use, accumulate and dispose of natural gas and natural gas products which contain limited amounts of radioactivity.

(1)

1993 c. 12; see sections 8(8) and 15(3) which provide that in those sections the reference to the Secretary of State shall have effect as a reference to the Department of the Environment

(2)

1954 c. 33 (N.I.)