Questions and answers on Radioactive Waste Advisers
This section provides answers to some frequently asked questions
and will be added to as further questions emerge. Please
contact us if you have other
questions on Radioactive Waste Advisers that are not included
here.
What is a Radioactive Waste Adviser?
A Radioactive Waste Adviser is a specialist in radioactive waste
disposal and environmental radiation protection who has
demonstrated competence in the Radioactive Waste Adviser
syllabus.
Who needs a Radioactive Waste Adviser?
Anyone who has a permit (under the Environmental Permitting
Regulations 2010) or an authorisation (under the Radioactive
Substances Act 1993) to accumulate or dispose of radioactive waste
needs to appoint a Radioactive Waste Adviser.
Why do I need a Radioactive Waste Adviser?
If you have a permit (under the Environmental Permitting
Regulations 2010) or an authorisation (under the Radioactive
Substances Act 1993) to accumulate or dispose of radioactive waste
it will include a condition requiring you to appoint a suitable
Radioactive Waste Adviser. This condition is put in your
permit by the environment agencies because we have been directed by
Government to require it as part of the UK’s implementation of the
Basic Safety Standards Directive.
Who assesses the competence of Radioactive Waste Advisers?
Individual Radioactive Waste Advisers are assessed by assessing
bodies who are approved by the environment agencies. A
Corporate Radioactive Waste Adviser is assessed in accordance with
corporate arrangements put in place by a nuclear permit holder and
approved by the environment agencies.
Who assesses the suitability of Radioactive Waste
Advisers?
The permit holder is responsible for assessing the suitability
of Radioactive Waste Advisers, although the environment agencies
may check the permit holder’s procedures for determining and
assessing suitability during routine inspections - as for any
other permit condition.
Does a Radioactive Waste Adviser have to be an expert in all of
the syllabus topics?
No. A Radioactive Waste Adviser needs to have a broad
knowledge of a wide range of topics and a detailed understanding of
a few topics. However, it is important that a Radioactive
Waste Adviser knows the limitations of their knowledge and knows
where to seek further specialist advice if it is needed. We
think of the Radioactive Waste Adviser in a similar manner to a
medical GP who has a broad knowledge but refers patients to a
specialist if they have a condition beyond the GP’s
expertise.
What is an individual Radioactive Waste Adviser?
An individual Radioactive Waste Adviser is someone who has
demonstrated competence in the Radioactive Waste Adviser syllabus
to the satisfaction of an assessing body that has been approved by
the environment agencies.
What is a Corporate Radioactive Waste Adviser?
A Corporate Radioactive Waste Adviser is a collection of
individuals who can collectively demonstrate competence in the
Radioactive Waste Adviser syllabus for giving advice on radioactive
waste management and environmental radiation protection to a
nuclear permit holder.
How is a Corporate Radioactive Waste Adviser different from an
individual Radioactive Waste Adviser?
An individual Radioactive Waste Adviser has competence in all
areas of the Radioactive Waste Adviser syllabus whereas a Corporate
Radioactive Waste Adviser comprises several people, each of whom
has competence in some areas of the Radioactive Waste Adviser
syllabus.
What are grandfather rights?
Grandfather rights are rights awarded to people who are
currently providing advice as a Radioactive Waste Adviser/Qualified
Expert to allow them to continue providing advice on radioactive
waste management and environmental radiation protection
for five years before having to go through formal
accreditation as a Radioactive Waste Adviser.
How can I get grandfather rights to be a Radioactive Waste
Adviser?
If you have been providing advice as a Radioactive Waste
Adviser/Qualified Expert in the last five years, and can
demonstrate that you have done so, you can apply to the environment
agencies to be awarded grandfather rights. The mechanisms for
applying for grandfather rights are detailed in the Transitional
Arrangements section of the Environment
Agencies’ Statement on Radioactive Waste Advisers.