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Radioactive wastes

Find out what you need to do if you deal with radioactive waste.

Are radioactive wastes hazardous?

Most radioactive waste is subject to the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2010 (EPR10). A permit is not generally required for activities involving radioactive wastes that are exempt from requiring an environmental permit by section 15 of the Radioactive Substances Act 1993.  

However, the Waste (England and Wales) Regulations 2011 brings wastes under three particular radioactive substances exemptions orders  into waste control. See our Radioactive wastes - frequently asked questions for more information:

When radioactive waste requires a permit as a radioactive substances activity under EPR10 but has one or more hazardous properties, it is not covered by hazardous waste controls. See our guide on the Business Link website on managing radioactive substances, for further details:

However, where radioactive waste is exempt from requiring an environmental permit as a radioactive substances activity under EPR10, it is subject to hazardous waste controls if it has one or more hazardous properties arising, other than from its radioactive nature. Items that are exempt (although not necessarily hazardous waste) include:

  • some clocks and watches
  • luminous items
  • uranium and thorium compounds
  • smoke detectors