Radioactive substances environmenal legislation
This page provides links to the full text of key pieces of environmental legislation relating to radioactive substances. The websites hosting the legislation may list amendments separately.
If you are setting up an environmental management system (EMS) for your business, you can use this list to start compiling your legal register. Your legal adviser or environmental consultant will be able to tell you if other environmental legislation applies to your specific business.
Environmental management systems and environmental reports
Northern Ireland: Radioactive substances legislation
Radioactive Substances Act 1993 Sets out measures to regulate the use and disposal of radioactive substances including registration, authorisation, enforcement and offences.
Ionising Radiation (Basic Safety Standards) (Miscellaneous Provisions) Regulations 2018 SI 482
Implement new requirements set out in Directive 2013/59/EU on basic safety standards for protection against the dangers arising from exposure to ionising radiation.
Ionising Radiations Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2017/229
Revoke and replace the Ionising Radiation Regulations (NI) 2000. Impose duties on employers to protect employers and other persons against ionising radiation. Aim to ensure that occupational exposures to ionising radiation are kept as low as reasonably practicable.
High-activity Sealed Radioactive Sources and Orphan Sources Regulations SI 2005/2686 Specifies how high-activity sealed radioactive sources should be registered, kept, used or disposed of. Also covers detecting, recovering and dealing with radioactive sources that are not currently regulated ('orphan sources').
Transfrontier Shipment of Radioactive Waste and Spent Fuel Regulations SI 2008/3087 Establishes a system of authorisation and approval for shipping radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel between member states and into and out of the European Union (EU).
EC Regulation (Euratom) on shipment of radioactive substances 1493/93 Regulates the shipment of radioactive substances between EU member states.
Carriage of Dangerous Goods (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2019 SR 111
Amends 2010/160 in order to transpose, in part, in Northern Ireland, the radiological emergency preparedness and response requirements contained in the Euratom Basic Safety Standards Directive (2013/59/Euratom) in relation to the transport of radioactive materials in the UK by road, rail and inland waterway.
Radioactive Substances (Modification of Enactments) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2018 SR116
Cover provisions relating to planned public exposure situations and existing public exposure provisions by amending the Radioactive Substances Act 1993, the Radioactive Substances Exemption (NI) Order 2011, the High-activity Sealed Radioactive Sources and Orphan Sources Regulations 2005, the Radioactive Substances (Basic Safety Standards) Regulations (NI) 2003 and the Radioactive Contaminated Land Regulations (NI) 2006. They also implement some additional measures to streamline and clarify existing legislation.
Radioactive Substances Act 1993 (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) SR 2011/290 Amends the definition of radioactive material and radioactive waste in the 1993 Act. Removes the exemption relating to clocks and watches.
Radioactive Substances Exemption (Northern Ireland) Order 2011 Revokes and replaces the existing 18 exemption orders made under the Radioactive Substances Act 1993 with a single order.
Scotland: Radioactive substances legislation
The Environmental Authorisations (Scotland) Regulations 2018
These regulations are the first step in the delivery of an integrated framework of environmental authorisations. (Single permits). They put in place the common framework, and introduce the technical provisions relating to the radioactive substances regime. Come into force on 1 September 2018
Radioactive Substances Act 1993 Sets out measures to regulate the use and disposal of radioactive substances including registration, authorisation, enforcement and offences.
Ionising Radiation (Basic Safety Standards) (Miscellaneous Provisions) Regulations 2018 SI 482
Implement new requirements set out in Directive 2013/59/EU on basic safety standards for protection against the dangers arising from exposure to ionising radiation.
Ionising Radiations Regulations 2017/1075
Revoke and replace the Ionising Radiation Regulations 1999 /3232. Impose duties on employers to protect employers and other persons against ionising radiation. Aim to ensure that occupational exposures to ionising radiation are kept as low as reasonably practicable.
Transfrontier Shipment of Radioactive Waste and Spent Fuel Regulations SI 2008/3087 Establishes a system of authorisation and approval for shipping radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel between member states and into and out of the European Union (EU).
EC Regulation (Euratom) on shipment of radioactive substances 1493/93 Regulates the shipment of radioactive substances between EU member states.
Radioactive Substances Exemption (Scotland) Order 2011 Removes the 21 exemption orders made under the 1993 and 1960 Radioactive Substances Acts and replaces them with a single exemption order. Some types of clocks and watches that contain radium are no longer exempt.
Further information
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NetRegs environmental legislation