University ‘hopeful’ over disposal of uranium

UNIVERSITY College Cork (UCC) is “hopeful” a way can soon be found to dispose of 2.5 tonnes of uranium stored on campus.

The material stems from a student training reactor — properly known as a “subcritical assembly” (SCA) — which was received by UCC in the 1970s and disassembled in the early 1980s. The uranium has been lying in secure storage since the device was disassembled because UCC has been unable to find a way of disposing of the radioactive material.

But Education Minister Ruairí Quinn, in an answer to a parliamentary question, said “significant progress” has been made on the issue recently.

“UCC no longer has any use for this SCA and would like to dispose of the radioactive material,” Mr Quinn said.

“However, disposing of such a large volume of such material presents unique technical and administrative problems.

“UCC in consultation with the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland (RPII) has invested significant time and effort over the past number of years in resolving these issues.

“Significant progress has been made recently and UCC are hopeful that a resolution may be achieved soon. It is too early to assess the costs that will be associated with disposal at this time.”

Cork South Central Labour TD Ciarán Lynch said it was essential a solution be found quickly.

“This is an issue that has dragged on over a long number of years and has been a legacy problem ever since the device first arrived at the university,” he said.

“I’m glad that the response by the minister shows some progress has been made on the matter and that some resolution now looks like it can be found.

“But I would be calling on the minister and the university to ultimately and finally determine a safe solution to this in which the device and the material will be actually moved off the UCC campus.”

Mr Quinn stressed the uranium was stored securely in a “proprietary radioactive waste store” built to a RPII-approved design.

“The material is held at UCC under licence from the RPII, and RPII inspectors regularly inspect this store in addition to inspections by the EU and by the IAEA,” he said.

“The radioactive material is stored under strict physical and electronic security including continuous CCTV monitoring. The store is never entered except for the purposes of inspection.”

Mr Quinn said the RPII had inspected the store in June and had been “satisfied” with the security arrangements.