WRITTEN QUESTION No. 635/99 by Luigi MORETTI Presence of uranium in building cement
Date: 1999-03-12
Institutions: European Parliament, MORETTI
Subjects: building materials, cement, health risk, ionising radiation, occupational health, public health, radiation protection, radioactivity, safety standard, uranium

3.12.1999

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 348/111

In view of the above, and on the basis of the information available on the situation described by the
Honourable Member, the Commission has not identified any infringement of Community environmental law
in this instance.

(1) OJ C 402, 6.1.1999.

(1999/C 348/141)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0635/99

by Luigi Moretti (NI) to the Commission

(12 March 1999)

Subject: Presence of uranium in building cement

With reference to the reply to question E-3490/98 (1) on the presence of uranium in building cement.

Will the Commission specify:

1. Whether Italy has adopted Directive 96/29/Euratom (2) of 13 May 1996?

2.

If so, what national and European bodies are responsible for monitoring the situation?

3. Whether the above directive provides for the marking of the level of radioactivity on cement containers,

to protect both users and workers?

4.

If not, whether it considers it fair and necessary to impose such an obligation on European cement
factories?

(1) OJ C 341, 29.11.1999, p. 6.
(2) OJ L 159, 29.6.1996, p. 1.

Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard on behalf of the Commission

(26 April 1999)

1. Member States shall bring into force the laws, regulations and administrative provisions to comply with
Council Directive 96/29/Euratom of 13 May 1996 laying down basic safety standards for the protection of the
health of workers and the general public against the dangers arising from ionizing radiation (1) before 13 May
2000. The Commission has not yet been informed that this is the case for Italy.

2.
Under Article33 of the Euratom Treaty Member States shall submit to the Commission draft provisions
for the implementation of the basic standards. The Commission may issue recommendations with regard to
such draft provisions within three months of the date of communication.

3.
The Directive does not require cement with high levels of natural radioactivity to be made subject to the
requirements for the protection of workers or members of the public. In case of work activities within which
the presence of natural radiation sources leads to a significant increase in the exposure of workers or members
of the public, Member States may nevertheless identify such work activities to be of concern and require the
application of radiation protection measures pursuant to all or part of the Directive.

4.
The Commission has no information as to whether Italy or another Member State imposes an obligation
on European cement factories to mark the level of radioactivity on cement containers. Whether this would be
justified must be examined not only in the light of Directive 96/29/Euratom but also of Council Directive
89/106/EEC of 21 December 1988 on the approximation of laws, regulations and administrative provisions of
the Member States relating to construction products (2) and Commission Recommendation 90/143/Euratom
of 21 February 1990 on the protection of the public against indoor exposure to radon (3) which have been
cited in the Commission’s reply to the Honourable Member’s Written Question E-3490/98 (4).

(1) OJ L 159, 29.6.1996.
(2) OJ L 40, 11.2.1989.
(3) OJ L 80, 27.3.1990.
(4) OJ C 341, 29.11.1999, p. 6.