WRITTEN QUESTION No. 2051/98 by Undine-Uta BLOCH von BLOTTNITZ to the Commission. Radioactive gas emission from the Acerinox factory, Cadiz, Spain
Date: 1998-06-30
Institutions: BLOCH VON BLOTTNITZ, European Parliament
Subjects: Andalusia, EU Member State, International Atomic Energy Agency, air quality, complaint to the Commission, exchange of information, furnace, iron and steel industry, radioactive materials, transfrontier pollution

8.4.1999

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 96/29

(1999/C 96/039)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2050/98

by Rijk van Dam (I-EDN) to the Commission

(30 June 1998)

Subject: Extension of the (cid:145)old for new(cid:146) scheme

At the meeting of the Committee on Transport and Tourism in Brussels on 18 to 20 May 1998 a representative of
the Commission said, in response to a question by the author, that Directorate-General VII had adopted internally
a proposal for extending the (cid:145)old for new(cid:146) scheme for inland waterways set up pursuant to regulation 1101/89 (1)
and extended pursuant to regulation 844/94 (2).If the Commission adopts this proposal the cooperation procedure
pursuant to Article 189c of the Treaty can begin in September 1998 at the earliest. Given the amount of time this
procedure takes, it is doubtful whether the (cid:145)old for new(cid:146) scheme can be extended on time, i.e. before 28 April
1999.

What action does the Commission think needs to be taken in the unlikely event of the (cid:145)old for new(cid:146) scheme for
inland waterways not entering into force on or before 28 April 1999?

(1) OJ L 116, 28.4.1989, p. 25.
(2) OJ L 98, 16.4.1994, p. 1.

Answer given by Mr Kinnock on behalf of the Commission

(27 July 1998)

The Commission is preparing a proposal to extend the (cid:145)old for new(cid:146) regime for a limited period of five years and
to reduce gradually the old for new ratio to zero during this period. After that, this regulatory mechanism would
function as a monitoring mechanism to be used only in the event of a serious disturbance in the inland waterway
market.

The Commission trusts that the importance of the issue will ensure the close cooperation between the institutions
that will make it possible to put the new legislation in place upon the expiry of the existing legislation.

(1999/C 96/040)

WRITTEN QUESTION P-2051/98

by Undine-Uta Bloch von Blottnitz (V) to the Commission

(30 June 1998)

Subject: Radioactive gas emission from the Acerinox factory, Cadiz, Spain

On 9 June 1998 the Acerinox steel factory informed the Spanish Council for Nuclear Security that radioactive gas
had escaped from one of its melting furnaces, although radioactive contamination had already been detected in
the smoke filtering system on 2 June. The apparent origin of the contamination was the presence of radioactive
waste containing Cesium-137 in the scrap iron feeding the melting furnaces of the factory. Surprisingly, local
authorities and public opinion were not informed until 12 June. The radioactive contamination has not only
affected the surrounding area, but also other countries, including France, Italy, Belgium, Switzerland and
Germany, where an unusually high level of Cesium-137 had been detected by their national nuclear authorities
and by the International Atomic Energy Agency since 25 May 1998!

In fact, the contaminated melting furnace had been kept working several days after the event and contaminated
steel, ash and other remnants have been produced. This ash and these remnants may have been dumped at the site
of El Cobre, Algeciras, where ash from this factory is normally dumped. This site is not suitable for receiving
radioactive materials. Moreover, no emergency plan was put into action after the accident in the factory. The
environmental organization Agaden has sent a claim to the Commission concerning this event on 14 June 1998.

Does the Acerinox factory receive financial aid from the European Union? If so, will this aid be suspended until it
has been established who is responsible and environmental measures have been taken? Does the Commission
intend to investigate whether the Spanish authorities have failed in applying those EU Directives preventing
damage to the environment as well as on human health, for instance the EIA Directive 85/337/EEC (1) and the
basic radiation standards Directive 84/467/Euratom?