EN Official Journal of the European Union C 394/1

COMMISSION OPINION

of 25 November 2015

relating to the modified plan for the disposal of radioactive waste arising from the Dounreay Site Restoration Plan, Caithness, Scotland, United Kingdom

(Only the English text is authentic)

(2015/C 394/01)

The assessment below is carried out under the provisions of the Euratom Treaty, without prejudice to any additional assessments to be carried out under the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union and the obligations stemming from it and from secondary legislation (1).

On 17 January 2013, 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 modified plan for the disposal of radioactive waste arising from the Dounreay Site Restoration Plan.

On the basis of these data and additional information requested by the Commission on 11 February 2013 and on 14 January 2015 and provided by the United Kingdom authorities on 22 December 2014, on 31 March 2015 and on 24 July 2015, and following consultation with the Group of Experts, the Commission has drawn up the following opinion.

1. The distance from the site to the nearest border of another Member State, in this case Ireland is approximately 600 km.

2. The regulatory discharge limits for gaseous and liquid radioactive effluents that are currently in force are more restrictive than those on which the Commission issued its initial Article 37 Opinion in the year 2005. However, progress made with the scheduled decommissioning activities of the Dounreay Site Restoration Plan has resulted in a variation of the reference accident upon which the radiological consequences from unplanned releases of radioactive effluents are assessed.

3. During normal operating conditions the modified plan is not liable to cause an exposure of the population of another Member State that would be significant from the point of view of health, in respect of the dose limit laid down in the new Basic Safety Standards (Directive 2013/59/Euratom).

4. Solid radioactive waste will be stored on site or within dedicated storage facilities adjacent to the site. Non-radioactive solid waste and residual materials in compliance with clearance levels will be released from regulatory control for disposal as conventional waste or for reuse or recycling. This will be done in compliance with the criteria laid down in the new Basic Safety Standards (Directive 2013/59/Euratom).

5. In the event of unplanned releases of radioactive effluents which may follow an accident of the type and magnitude considered in the modified plan, the doses likely to be received by the population of another Member State would not be significant from the point of view of health, in respect of the reference levels laid down in the new Basic Safety Standards (Directive 2013/59/Euratom).

In conclusion, the Commission is of the opinion that the implementation of the modified plan for the disposal of radioactive waste in whatever form from the Dounreay Site Restoration Plan, 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, in respect of the provisions laid down in the new Basic Safety Standards (Directive 2013/59/Euratom).

Done at Brussels, 25 November 2015. For the Commission Miguel ARIAS CAÑETE Member of the Commission

(1) For instance, under the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, environmental aspects should be further assessed. Indicatively, the Commission would like to draw attention to the provisions of Directive 2011/92/EU on the assessment of the effects of certain public and private projects on the environment, Directive 2001/42/EC on the assessment of the effects of certain plans and programmes on the environment, as well as to the Directive 92/43/EEC on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora and directive 2000/60/EC establishing a framework for Community action in the field of water policy.