Applying for a certificate for radioactive substances
In this guide:
- Managing radioactive substances
- What are radioactive materials?
- What is radioactive waste?
- Registration, authorisation and exemptions for radioactive substances
- Applying for a certificate for radioactive substances
- Complying with your certificate for radioactive substances
- Other radioactive substances regulations
What are radioactive materials?
Definition of the two main types of radioactive material and examples of their use in business and by organisations.
Radioactive material includes substances or articles that are radioactive, or have become radioactive through non-natural processes, for example at a nuclear reactor.
There are two main types of radioactive substances:
- open radioactive sources, also called unsealed sources
- sealed radioactive sources, also called closed sources
Radioactive materials are used by many organisations and businesses. For example, hospitals, research organisations, radiographers and process industries use radioactive materials for:
- diagnosing and treating disease
- controlling industrial processes
- preventing static electricity
- industrial radiography
- scientific research
Different types of radioactive material are used for different activities.
Open radioactive sources
Open sources are radioactive materials that you can easily divide, disperse or dilute. They can be in a liquid, gaseous or sometimes solid form. Open sources include radioactive laboratory chemicals and radiopharmaceuticals.
Open radioactive sources can potentially contaminate other material through leakage or leaching. You must store all open radioactive sources securely.
Sealed radioactive sources
Sealed sources have a structure which prevents radioactive material from leaking during normal use. If you use sealed sources incorrectly you could cause radioactive contamination.
Sealed radioactive sources are categorised according to their hazard or risk as:
- high activity sealed sources (HASS)
- sources of similar potential hazard to HASS
- category 5 (low hazard or risk)
A sealed source may take the form of a welded steel capsule, or a homogenous, laminated, electrodeposited or foil source.
HASS present a greater hazard to the environment and human health than other sealed sources. HASS may include sterilisation sources, hospital radiotherapy sources, industrial radiography sources, density and moisture gauges and some industrial process control gauges.
Mobile radioactive apparatus
Mobile radioactive apparatus includes equipment, appliances or other things that are portable and classed as radioactive material. They may be used for:
- testing, measuring or investigation
- releasing radioactive material into the environment or introducing it into organisms
Mobile radioactive apparatus may contain sealed or open radioactive sources.
You must have a certificate of registration if you use or keep mobile radioactive apparatus, unless you are covered by an exemption.
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What is radioactive waste?
The four main types of radioactive waste and examples of items commonly contaminated by radioactive materials.
Radioactive waste is anything that your business discards, intends to discard or is required to discard which contains radioactive material.
Radioactive waste can be in a solid, liquid or gaseous form.
What are the four types of radioactive waste?
The four types of radioactive waste are:
- high-level radioactive waste that contains levels of radioactivity so high that heat is generated, eg waste created by reprocessing spent nuclear fuel
- intermediate-level radioactive waste that contains more radioactivity than low-level waste but without the heat generation that occurs in high-level waste, eg redundant sealed sources
- low-level radioactive waste that is within specified concentrations of radioactivity, eg everyday items such as paper or plastics contaminated by radioactivity
- very low-level radioactive waste that is below a specific concentration of radioactivity, eg laboratory and medical equipment used to handle radioactive material
Radioactive waste may include items contaminated by radioactive material or other radioactive waste, such as:
- clothing that needs to be disposed of
- laboratory wastes from the use of open radioactive material
- a sealed source which is scrap
Radioactive substances users at non-nuclear sites are only likely to produce very low-level or low-level radioactive waste.
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Registration, authorisation and exemptions for radioactive substances
When your business needs an environmental permit for radioactive substance activities and what the exemptions are.
Certificates of registration and authorisation are used to control radioactive substance activities at non-nuclear sites.
You must have a certificate of registration from the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) if you keep or use radioactive materials. You must register:
- open or unsealed sources on your premises
- closed or sealed sources on your premises
- mobile apparatus incorporating a sealed radioactive source
- mobile apparatus (open sources) for use in environmental studies
- radioactive packages stored in transit
You must have a certificate of authorisation from NIEA if you dispose of or accumulate radioactive waste. Accumulating radioactive waste includes storing radioactive waste on your premises. Disposing of radioactive waste includes discharging radioactive waste into the air, land, sea, surface water (such as rivers and lakes), groundwater or foul sewers. You are also disposing of radioactive waste if you transfer it to another site.
You must not use or keep radioactive materials, or dispose of or accumulate radioactive waste, before you receive your certificate of registration or authorisation. If you are unsure whether you need a certificate of registration or authorisation for radioactive substance activities, you should contact NIEA.
Exemptions from registration or authorisation
You do not need a certificate of registration or authorisation if an exemption applies to your activities. The exemption specifies the types of premises, materials or waste which do not need a permit.
If you rely on an exemption you are responsible for checking that:
- the exemption applies to your activities
- you can comply with the conditions of the relevant exemption
You do not need to register your exemption with NIEA.
Contact a suitable radiation protection adviser, radioactive waste adviser or NIEA if you are unsure whether your activities are covered by an exemption.
This guidance is not intended for radioactive waste disposal sites, underground storage or disposal facilities, or nuclear licensed sites.
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Applying for a certificate for radioactive substances
How to make an application for an environmental permit for radioactive substance activities for your business.
You must complete an application form for the type of radioactive substance you have and pay an application fee to the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA).
Find radioactive substance registration and authorisation application forms.
You can also find information on radioactive substance fees and charges.
Disposing of radioactive waste can be very expensive so make sure that you can afford these costs before you apply for a certificate of authorisation.
It can take the NIEA up to four months to process application forms.
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Complying with your certificate for radioactive substances
How to comply with conditions in an environmental permit for radioactive substances and how they are enforced.
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.
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Other radioactive substances regulations
Regulations which might apply to your radioactive substance activities around transport and health and safety.
If you handle radioactive substances you may have to comply with other legislation in addition to complying with your certificate of registration or authorisation.
Importing and exporting radioactive substances
If you are importing or exporting radioactive materials or waste, you must contact the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) to find out what you need to do.
The Export Control Organisation at the Department for Business, Innovation & Skills is responsible for legislating, assessing and issuing export and trade licences for specific categories of controlled goods, including certain radioactive sources - see our section on the Export Control Organisation.
Health and safety requirements for radioactive substances
If your business uses or keeps radioactive substances you may need to comply with health and safety requirements - see HSENI radiation guidance.
Transport requirements for radioactive substances
If your business transports radioactive substances you may need to comply with transport requirements - find information about transporting class 7 dangerous good.
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