Radioactive Substances Act 1960 (repealed 27.8.1993)

6 Disposal of radioactive waste. U.K.

(1) Subject to the provisions of this section, as from the appointed day no person shall, except in accordance with an authorisation granted in that behalf under this subsection, dispose of any radioactive waste on or from any premises which are used for the purposes of an undertaking carried on by him, or cause or permit any radioactive waste to be so disposed of, if (in any such case) he knows or has reasonable grounds for believing it to be radioactive waste.

(2) Where any person keeps any mobile radioactive apparatus for the purpose of its being used in [F1 activities]to which section three of this Act applies, he shall not, on or after the appointed day, dispose of any radioactive waste arising from any such apparatus so kept by him, or cause or permit any such radioactive waste to be disposed of, except in accordance with an authorisation granted in that behalf under this subsection.

(3) Where on or after the appointed day any person, in the course of the carrying on by him of an undertaking, receives any radioactive waste for the purpose of its being disposed of by him, he shall not, except in accordance with an authorisation granted in that behalf under this subsection, dispose of that waste, or cause or permit it to be disposed of, knowing or having reasonable grounds for believing it to be radioactive waste:

Provided that the disposal of any radioactive waste does not require an authorisation under this subsection, if it is waste which falls within the provisions of an authorisation granted under either of the preceding subsections, and it is disposed of in accordance with the authorisation so granted.

(4) Subsections (1) and (3) of this section shall not apply to the disposal of any radioactive waste arising from clocks or watches:

Provided that this subsection shall not affect the operation of subsection (1) of this section in relation to the disposal of any such radioactive waste on or from premises which, by virtue of the proviso to subsection (5) of section two of this Act, are excluded from the operation of the said subsection (5).

(5) Without prejudice to the last preceding subsection, the [F2 Secretary of State]may by order exclude particular descriptions of radioactive waste from any of the provisions of this section, either absolutely or subject to limitations or conditions; and accordingly such of those provisions as may be specified in an order under this subsection shall not apply to a disposal of radioactive waste if it is radioactive waste of a description so specified, and (where the exclusion is subject to limitations or conditions) the limitations or conditions specified in the order are complied with.

(6) In relation to any premises which—

(a) are situated on a site in respect of which a nuclear site licence is for the time being in force, or in respect of which, after the revocation or surrender of such a licence, the period of responsibility of the licensee has not come to an end, but

(b) have ceased to be used for the purposes of an undertaking carried on by the licensee,

subsection (1) of this section shall apply (subject to the provisions of subsections (4) and (5) of this section) as if the premises were used for the purposes of an undertaking carried on by the licensee.

Textual Amendments

F1 Word substituted by Environmental Protection Act 1990 (c. 43, SIF 46:4), s. 105, Sch. 5 para. 7(3)

F2 Words substituted by Environmental Protection Act 1990 (c.43, SIF 46:4), s. 100(3)

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 S. 6 certain functions of Minister of Agriculture transferred by S.I. 1978/272, art. 2

C2 S. 6 amended by S.I. 1990/2598, art. 2

C3 S. 6(1) excluded (E.W.S.) by S.I. 1985/1047, art. 4(1), S.I. 1985/1048, art. 4(1), S.I. 1985/1049, arts. 7(1), 8(1) and excluded for Northern Ireland by S.R. 1986/10, art. 5(1), S.R. 1986/11, art. 6(1), S.R. 1986/12, arts. 9(1), 10(1), S.R. 1990/115, art. 4

C4 S. 6(2) excluded (E.W.S.) by S.I. 1985/1049, arts. 7(1), 8(1) and excluded for Northern Ireland by S.R. 1986/12, arts. 9(1), 10(1)

C5 S. 6(3) excluded (E.W.S.) by S.I. 1985/1047, art. 5(1), S.I. 1985/1048, art. 5 and excluded for Northern Ireland by S.R. 1986/10, art. 6(1)(2), S.R. 1986/11, art. 7, S.R. 1990/115, art. 4