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
Date: 2005-09-13
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Germany, decommissioning of power stations, health risk, nuclear safety, radioactive effluent, radioactive waste, waste management

C 225/2

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

14.9.2005

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

(2005/C 225/02)

(Only the German text is authentic)

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 27 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 Nether-

lands 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 collec-
tion 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.