WRITTEN QUESTION E-3688/01 by Laura González Álvarez (GUE/NGL) to the Commission. Accident at steelworks in Alcalá de Guadaira (Seville, Spain).
Date: 2002-01-17
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: Spain, environmental risk prevention, exchange of information, iron and steel industry, nuclear accident, occupational safety, public safety

4.7.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 160 E/161

a fiscal and not a quantitative-type measure, Articles 28-30 (ex Article 30-36) of the EC Treaty are not
relevant for the purpose of examining its compatibility with Community law.

(1) Parliament and Council Directive 94/62/EC of 20 December 1994 on packaging and packaging waste, OJ L 365,

31.12.1994.

(2) Parliament and Council Directive 98/34/EC of 22 June 1998 laying down a procedure for the provision of

information in the field of technical standards and regulations, OJ L 204, 21.7.1998.

(2002/C 160 E/202)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3688/01

by Laura González Álvarez (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(17 January 2002)

Subject: Accident at steelworks in Alcalá de Guadaira (Seville, Spain)

On 7 December 2001 a radioactive leak occurred at the steelworks in Alcalá de Guadaira (Seville province,
Spain), releasing radioactive matter from a sealed capsule which had been introduced by error into the
smelting process. This happened after the signing by the metallurgical companies, several ministries, the
national Nuclear Safety Council and Enresa (the company responsible for handling radioactive waste) of a
protocol in which they undertook to act to prevent such occurrences. A leak occurred in 1998 at a nearby
steelworks which spread radioactive matter whose traces were detected even outside Spain.

Has the Commission been informed of this occurrence? Does it have information on the amount of
radioactive matter contained in the capsule and the amount released into the environment? Does it know
whether radiological damage was suffered by the workers, the public in general or the environment? What
is the Commission’s position concerning the protocol signed in Spain and its effectiveness?

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(1 March 2002)

The Commission has not been officially informed by the Spanish authorities about the accidental melting
of a radioactive source at the steelworks in Alcalá de Guadaira.

However, Council Decision 87/600/Euratom of 14 December 1987 on Community arrangements for the
early exchange of information in the event of a radiological emergency (1) obliges the Member States to
notify and inform the Commission, inter alia, only where ‘a Member State decides to take measures of a
widespread nature in order to protect the general public in case of a radiological emergency’. This situation
did not occur in the case of that accident.

With regard to the cooperation Protocol between the Spanish authorities and the industrial associations
concerned, the Commission believes this type of instrument is very useful to help avoid such an accident
and to define the measures to be taken by the various parties concerned if a radioactive source is detected
or in the event of an accident.

Given the possible consequences of this type of accident on the health of workers and the importance of
prevention, the Commission is in the process of finalising a draft proposal for a directive aimed at ensuring
adequate monitoring of radioactive sources by users and national authorities.

(1) OJ L 371, 30.12.1987.