Discussion: Policy/strategy

H.A. Taylor, Hunting Engineering Ltd, Knutsford

Could Professor Matthews briefly expand on his last statement: "Our problems are primarily political and not technical"?

Professor P.T. Matthews

I meant precisely what I said. I do not believe the disposal of low or intermediate level wastes poses difficult technical problems. The failure to make progress with a satisfactory programme is almost exclusively for political reasons.

G.A.M. Webb, National Radiological Protection Board, Didcot

Professor Matthews referred to familiar concepts such as 'As low as reasonably practicable' (ALARP), 'As low as reasonably achievable' (ALARA) and 'Best practicable means' (BPM). All of these involve a balancing of the reduction of dose and radiation detriment with the economic costs, taking account of technical feasibility. He also referred to the statement of the Chairman of British Nuclear Fuels about 'As near zero as possible' - presumably ANZAP and to 'Best international practice'. Can I take it that the practical interpretation of these ideas will include the same balancing as the more established concepts I referred to earlier?