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Radioactive Substances Act 1993 in England

1993 c. 12 · Enacted 27 May 1993 · Extends to United Kingdom

Not fully up to date. 4 changes made by later legislation have not yet been written into this text, which is revised to 20 December 2023.

See the changes not yet applied
ProvisionChangeMade by
ActmodifiedDefence Reform Act 2014 Sch. 1 para. 5
s. 34A headingwords insertedJudicial Review and Courts Act 2022 s. 14(2)
s. 34A(1A)-(1C)insertedJudicial Review and Courts Act 2022 s. 14(3)
s. 34A(2)words substitutedJudicial Review and Courts Act 2022 s. 14(4)

F1F2X1An Act to consolidate certain enactments relating to radioactive substances with corrections and minor improvements made under the Consolidation of Enactments (Procedure) Act 1949.

[27th May 1993] C1I1C2C3

Be it enacted by the Queen’s most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:—C4

Annotations to the whole text

Textual amendments

F1

Act repealed (except for ss. 49(1) for specified purposes and s. 51, Sch. 4 paras. 2, 5-9, 11) (E.W.) (1.10.2011) by The Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2011 (S.I. 2011/2043), reg. 17 (with reg. 18(2)-(4), Sch. 3)

F2

Act in so far as still in force for E.W. repealed (except for ss. 49(1) for specified purposes and s. 51, Sch. 4 para. 5) (E.W.) (1.1.2017) by The Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016 (S.I. 2016/1154), reg. 72 (with regs. 1(3), 77-79, Sch. 4)

Modifications

C1

Act (except ss. 1(5), 8(6), 11(1), 15 and 25): transfer of functions (W.) (1.7.1999) by S.I. 1999/672, art. 2, Sch. 1

C2

Act: transfer of functions (E.W.S.) (1.4.1996) by 1995 c. 25, s. 2(1)(e) (with ss. 115, 117); S.I. 1996/186, art. 3

Act modified (E.W.S.) (1.2.1996) by 1995 c. 25, s. 5(2)(5)(g) (with ss. 115, 117); S.I. 1996/186, art. 2.

Act modified (E.W.S.) (1.4.1996) by 1995 c. 25, s. 5(1)(3)(4)(5)(g) (with ss. 115, 117); S.I. 1996/186, art. 3.

Act modified (E.W.S.) (1.4.1996) by 1995 c. 25, s. 33 (with ss. 7(6), 115, 117); S.I. 1996/186, art. 3.

Act: power to modify conferred (E.W.S.) (21.9.1995 for specified purposes and otherwise 1.4.2000 for E., 14.7.2000 for S. and 15.9.2001 for W.) by 1990 c. 43, s. 78YC(b) (as inserted (21.9.1995 for specified purposes and otherwise 1.4.2000 for E., 14.7.2000 for S. and 15.9.2001 for W.) by 1995 c. 25, s. 57 (with ss. 7(6), 115, 117); S.I. 1995/1983, art. 3; S.I. 2000/340, art. 2(a); S.S.I. 2000/180, art. 2(1)(a); S.I. 2000/1986, art. 2; S.I. 2001/3211, art. 2(a) (with art. 3))

C3

Act: power to modify conferred (17.9.1998) by S.I. 1997/2778 (N.I. 19), art. 48; S.R. 1998/288, art. 2

Act: power to modify conferred (prosp.) by S.I. 1997/2778 (N.I. 19), arts. 1, 71

C4

Act applied in part (temp.) (E.W.) (30.11.2006) (with effect in accordance with art. 1(1) of the amending S.I.) by Radioactive Substances (Emergency Exemption) (England and Wales) Order 2006 (S.I. 2006/3169), art. 2

Commencement

I1

Act wholly in force at 27.8.1993 see s. 51(2).

Editorial notes

X1

[A table showing the derivation of the provisions of this consolidation will be found at the end of this Act. The table has no official status.]

Contents

  1. Preliminary
  2. 1Meaning of “radioactive material”. Repealed
  3. 1AMeaning of “radioactive material” and “radioactive waste”
  4. 1BNORM industrial activities
  5. 1CProcessed radionuclides of natural terrestrial or cosmic origin
  6. 1DRadionuclides not of natural terrestrial or cosmic origin
  7. 1ERadionuclides with a short half-life
  8. 1FRadionuclides not of natural terrestrial or cosmic origin in background radioactivity
  9. 1GContaminated substances or articles
  10. 1HSubstances or articles after disposal
  11. 1JVariation of tables in Schedule 1A
  12. 2Meaning of “radioactive waste”. Repealed
  13. 3Meaning of “mobile radioactive apparatus”.
  14. Inspectors and chief inspector
  15. Registration relating to use of radioactive material and mobile radioactive apparatus
  16. 6Prohibition of use of radioactive material without registration.
  17. 7Registration of users of radioactive material.
  18. 8Exemptions from registration under s. 7.
  19. 9Prohibition of use of mobile radioactive apparatus without registration.
  20. 10Registration of mobile radioactive apparatus.
  21. 11Exemptions from registration under s. 10.
  22. 12Cancellation and variation of registration.
  23. Authorisation of disposal and accumulation of radioactive waste
  24. 13Disposal of radioactive waste.
  25. 14Accumulation of radioactive waste.
  26. 15Further exemptions from ss. 13 and 14.
  27. 16Grant of authorisations.
  28. 16ATransfer of authorisations
  29. 17Revocation and variation of authorisations.
  30. 18Functions of public and local authorities in relation to authorisations under s. 13.
  31. Further obligations relating to registration or authorisation
  32. 19Duty to display documents.
  33. 20Retention and production of site or disposal records.
  34. Enforcement notices and prohibition notices
  35. 21Enforcement notices.
  36. 22Prohibition notices.
  37. Powers of Secretary of State in relation to applications etc.
  38. 23Power of Secretary of State to give directions to chief inspector.
  39. 24Power of Secretary of State to require certain applications to be determined by him.
  40. 25Power of Secretary of State to restrict knowledge of applications etc.
  41. Appeals
  42. 26Registrations, authorisations and notices: appeals from decisions of chief inspector.
  43. 27Procedure on appeals unders. 26.
  44. Further powers of Secretary of State in relation to radioactive waste
  45. 29Provision of facilities for disposal or accumulation of radioactive waste.
  46. 30Power of Secretary of State to dispose of radioactive waste.
  47. 30ARecovery and disposal of orphan sources
  48. Rights of entry
  49. Offences
  50. 32Offences relating to registration or authorisation.
  51. 33Offences relating to ss. 19 and 20.
  52. 34Disclosure of trade secrets.
  53. 34AOffences of making false or misleading statements or false entries.
  54. 36Offences by bodies corporate.
  55. 37Offence due to another’s fault.
  56. 38Restriction on prosecutions.
  57. Public access to documents and records
  58. 39Public access to documents and records.
  59. Operation of other statutory provisions
  60. 40Radioactivity to be disregarded for purposes of certain statutory provisions.
  61. General
  62. 41Service of documents.
  63. 42Application of Act to Crown.
  64. 44Regulations and orders: Great Britain.
  65. 46Effect of Act on other rights and duties.
  66. 47General interpretation provisions.
  67. 48Index of defined expressions.
  68. 49Consequential amendments and transitional and transitory provisions.
  69. 50Repeals.
  70. 51Short title, commencement and extent.
  71. Schedule 1: Specified elements
  72. 1Paragraph 1
  73. 2Paragraph 2
  74. 3Paragraph 3
  75. 4Paragraph 4
  76. 5Paragraph 5
  77. 6Paragraph 6
  78. 7Paragraph 7
  79. 8Paragraph 8
  80. 9Paragraph 9
  81. 10Paragraph 10
  82. Schedule 3: Enactments, other than local enactments, to which s. 40 applies
  83. Part I: England and Wales
  84. 1Paragraph 1 Repealed
  85. 2Paragraph 2 Repealed
  86. 3Paragraph 3 Repealed
  87. 4Paragraph 4 Repealed
  88. 5Paragraph 5 Repealed
  89. 6Paragraph 6 Repealed
  90. 7Paragraph 7 Repealed
  91. 8Paragraph 8 Repealed
  92. 9Paragraph 9 Repealed
  93. 10Paragraph 10 Repealed
  94. 10AParagraph 10A Repealed
  95. 10BParagraph 10B Repealed
  96. 13Paragraph 13 Repealed
  97. 15Paragraph 15 Repealed
  98. 17Paragraph 17 Repealed
  99. 17AParagraph 17A Repealed
  100. Part III: Northern Ireland
  101. 19Paragraph 19
  102. 26Paragraph 26
  103. Schedule 4: Consequential amendments
  104. The Continental Shelf Act 1964 (c. 29)
  105. 1Paragraph 1
  106. The Nuclear Installations Act 1965 (c. 57)
  107. 2Paragraph 2 Repealed
  108. The Control of Pollution Act 1974 (c. 40)
  109. 3Paragraph 3
  110. The Atomic Energy (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1981 (c. 48)
  111. 5Paragraph 5
  112. The Environmental Protection Act 1990 (c. 43)
  113. 6Paragraph 6 Repealed
  114. 7Paragraph 7
  115. 8Paragraph 8
  116. 9Paragraph 9
  117. The Atomic Weapons Establishment Act 1991 (c. 46)
  118. 10Paragraph 10
  119. The Water Resources Act 1991 (c. 57)
  120. 11Paragraph 11 Repealed
  121. Schedule 5: Transitional and transitory provisions
  122. Part I: General transitional provisions and savings
  123. 1Paragraph 1
  124. 2Paragraph 2
  125. 3Paragraph 3
  126. 4Paragraph 4
  127. 5Paragraph 5
  128. 6Paragraph 6
  129. 7Paragraph 7
  130. Part II: Transitory modifications of Schedule 3
  131. 8Paragraph 8 Repealed
  132. 9Paragraph 9
  133. 10Paragraph 10
  134. 11Paragraph 11
  135. 12Paragraph 12
  136. Schedule 6: Repeals and revocations
  137. IActs of the Parliament of the United Kingdom
  138. IIRepeals in Radioactive Substances Act 1948 extending to Northern Ireland
  139. IVSubordinate legislation
  140. Schedule TABLE OF DERIVATIONS