Brussels, 7 November 2005
Commission opinion of 4 November 2005 concerning the plan for the disposal of radioactive waste arising from the decommissioning of the Sizewell A Nuclear Power Station located in the United Kingdom, in accordance with Article 37 of the Euratom Treaty (OJ C4/9 5.11.2005).
Full text
On 6 April 2005, the European Commission received from the Government of the United Kingdom, in accordance with Article 37 of the Euratom Treaty, General Data relating to the plan for the disposal of radioactive waste arising from the decommissioning of the Sizewell A Nuclear Power Station.
On the basis of the General Data and additional information requested by the Commission on 20 June 2005 and provided by the Government of the United Kingdom on 4 July 2005, and following consultation with the Group of Experts, the Commission has drawn up the following opinion:
1. The distance between the plant and the nearest point on the territory of another Member State, in this case France, is approximately 135 km.
2. During normal decommissioning operation, the discharges of liquid and gaseous effluents are not liable to cause an exposure, significant from the point of view of health, of the population in other Member States.
3. Solid intermediate level radioactive wastes are stored at the site and handled in the long term in accordance with the UK Government Policy. Low level radioactive wastes and irradiated fuel elements are stored at the site before being transported off-site for disposal or reprocessing in facilities within the UK. Non-radioactive solid waste or residual materials which are released from regulatory control will be released for disposal as conventional waste or for reuse or recycling. This will be done in all cases in compliance with the criteria laid down in the Basic Safety Standards (Directive 96/29/Euratom).
4. In the event of unplanned releases of radioactive effluents, which may follow an accident of the type and magnitude considered in the General Data, the doses likely to be received by the population in other Member States would not be significant from the point of view of health.
In conclusion, the Commission is of the opinion that the implementation of the plan for the disposal of radioactive waste in whatever form arising from the decommissioning of the Sizewell A Nuclear Power Station in the United Kingdom, both in normal operation and in the event of an accident of the type and magnitude considered in the General Data, is not liable to result in radioactive contamination, significant from the point of view of health, of the water, soil or airspace of another Member State.