Commission opinion approving plan for disposal of radioactive waste by TRIGA research reactor at University of Hannover (OJ link)

Brussels, 14 September 2005

Commission opinion of 13 September 2005 concerning the plan for the disposal of radioactive waste arising from the decommissioning and dismantling of the TRIGA - Mark I Research Reactor at the Medical University of Hannover located in Lower Saxony in the Federal Republic of Germany, in accordance with Article 37 of the Euratom Treaty (OJ C225/2 14.9.2005).
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On 11 January 2005, the European Commission received from the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany, 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 and dismantling of the TRIGA - Mark I Research Reactor at the Medical University of Hannover.

On the basis of these data and the additional information requested by the Commission on 22 April 2005 and provided by the German Government on May 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 of another Member State, in this case the Netherlands is approximately 180 km.

2. During normal decommissioning operation, discharges of liquid and gaseous effluents will not cause an exposure of the population in other Member States that is significant from the point of view of health.

3. Solid radioactive waste arising from the dismantling operations will be transferred to the regional collection facility at the Jülich Research Centre for treatment and interim storage. Non-radioactive solid waste and materials in compliance with clearance levels will be released from regulatory control for disposal as conventional waste or for recycling or reuse. This will be done in compliance with the criteria laid down in the Basic Safety Standards (Directive 96/29/Euratom).

4. In the event of unplanned discharges of radioactive waste, 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 and dismantling of the TRIGA - Mark I Research Reactor at the Medical University of Hannover located in Lower Saxony in the Federal Republic of Germany, 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.