Central decontamination service plans unveiled

Environment Minister Elliot Morley, has announced plans for a new central service to help prepare for and deal with incidents where potentially hazardous materials are released into the environment.

The new service will provide advice and guidance to authorities and organisations on decontamination following incidents where chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear (CRBN) materials are released.

The decontamination service is part of the government's plans to prevent and respond to a range of CRBN emergencies. It will help organisations include decontamination in their contigency plans for CRBN incidents; regularly test the decontamination arrangements; assess the ability of specialist companies to carry out decontamination procedures; ensure authorities have access to these sort of services; and advise the government on the nation's capabiility to decontaminate buildings and the environment.

Plans for a decontamination service were announced by the government in March 2004. The government decided that the the best way the UK could adequately deal with the aftermath of a CBRN incident, would be to utilise the expertise available in the private sector. The service will be an executive agency of the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and is expected to be set up in the summer.

Commenting on the new service, Mr Morley said: "The new decontamination service will have a UK-wide remit to help those responsible for clearing up after a CBRN incident, such as local authorities, to make sure they have considered and planned for decontamination. It will also ensure that if there were an incident involving CBRN, authorities would be able to call upon a carefully assessed panel of specialist companies to carry out the decontamination operations."

(KmcA)