Radioactive substances authorisations
If you keep or use radioactive materials and the amount of radioactivity on site, or the concentration of radioactivity in the materials you use are above the threshold values listed in the regulations, then you must have:
- a certificate of registration from the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA)
- an authorisation from the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA)
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 the NIEA or an authorisation from SEPA if you are accumulating (storing) radioactive waste on your premises or disposing of radioactive waste from your premises, unless an exemption order applies (Northern Ireland) or unless they are covered by General Binding Rules (GBRs) in Scotland. Disposal of radioactive waste includes disposal of radioactive gases, vapours, liquids and solids to the air, land, sea, surface waters (such as rivers and lakes) and sewers. You are also disposing of radioactive waste if you transfer it to other premises.
You must not keep or use radioactive materials, or dispose of or accumulate radioactive waste, before you receive your certificate of registration or authorisation from the NIEA or receive your authorisation from SEPA. You must comply with the conditions it contains.
If you are unsure whether you need a certificate of registration or authorisation for radioactive substance activities, you should contact your environmental regulator
Contact your environmental regulator
Northern Ireland: Exemptions from certificates of registration or authorisation
You won't need a certificate of registration or authorisation if an exemption order applies to your activities.
You can find the information you need to decide if your radioactive substances or radioactive waste is exempt from the regulations in Section 3 of the Government guidance:
Scotland: Activities covered by General Binding Rules (GBRs)
In Scotland you may not need to contact SEPA for authorisation if the activities you carry out are covered by GBRs. As long as you comply with the conditions of the GBR you will be authorised.
SEPA: Authorisations guide for radioactive substances activities
Scotland: Online Notifications
You need to notify SEPA if you:
- manage any of the following radioactive sources:
- sealed sources in IAEA category 5 that exceed 200 kBq;
- tritium sources that exceed 20 GBq;
- electrodeposited sources
- manage a radioactive orphan source
- manage radioactive waste from an incident (note: this is a paper form)
See our guideline: NetRegs: Radioactive substances and wastes