Managing radioactive substances

You must comply with the conditions in your certificate of registration or authorisation. Conditions control the impact your radioactive substance activities could have on the environment and human health.

The Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) will carry out site inspections, conduct audits and review information it receives about your site to make sure you are complying with your certificate of registration or authorisation.

You can be fined, or even sent to prison, if you do not comply with the terms of your certificate of registration or authorisation.

Comply with your certificate of registration or authorisation conditions

The conditions in your certificate of registration or authorisation will depend on what radioactive substances you keep and what activities you carry out at your site. Your certificate of registration or authorisation may contain conditions that relate to:

• managing your site activities
• what activities are permitted on your site
• operating your site, such as site security and safe storage
• high activity sealed radioactive sources (HASS)
• transferring radioactive sources
• receiving radioactive waste
• accumulating radioactive waste, including accumulation limits
• disposing of radioactive waste safely and securely, including appropriate disposal routes
• keeping records, reporting and making notifications

For example, if you store radioactive substances the conditions in your certificate of registration or authorisation might require you to:

• prevent unauthorised persons from accessing the radioactive substances
• take measures to prevent loss of, theft of or damage to the radioactive substances
• maintain the radioactive substances and any associated containers and equipment in good repair
• ensure the radioactive store is labelled clearly and correctly

If your business keeps or uses HASS, disposes of HASS or holds sealed sources with a similar level of potential hazard, your certificate of registration or authorisation will contain additional conditions to protect people and the environment. For example, you must comply with additional site security arrangements. There are also special reporting requirements and additional financial requirements for HASS.

You must display a copy of your certificate of registration or authorisation on your business premises, unless it relates to sealed radioactive sources or it is otherwise subject to national security restrictions.

How compliance is enforced

The NIEA has a range of enforcement tools to ensure that businesses comply with radioactive substances legislation. They will take enforcement action that is appropriate for the severity of the non-compliance. Enforcement action includes verbal and written warnings, enforcement notices, prohibition notices and prosecution with the possibility of a fine or prison.

An enforcement notice may be issued if you breach the conditions of your certificate of registration or authorisation. A prohibition notice is issued if there is an imminent risk of serious pollution or harm to human health.