Commission Opinion of 18 December 2012 relating to the plan for the disposal of radioactive waste arising from the dismantling of the KWL Nuclear Power Plant, located at Lingen in Lower Saxony, Germany
Date: 2012-12-18
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: Germany, Lower Saxony, decommissioning of power stations, nuclear power station, public safety, radioactive pollution, radioactive waste, storage of waste, waste disposal








C_2012394EN.01000101.xml










20.12.2012   


EN


Official Journal of the European Union


C 394/1





COMMISSION OPINION
of 18 December 2012
relating to the plan for the disposal of radioactive waste arising from the dismantling of the KWL Nuclear Power Plant, located at Lingen in Lower Saxony, Germany
(Only the German text is authentic)
2012/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 21 June 2012, the European Commission received from the German Government, in accordance with Article 37 of the Euratom Treaty, General Data relating to the plan for the disposal of radioactive waste arising from the dismantling of the KWL Nuclear Power Plant.
On the basis of these data and additional information requested by the Commission on 3 July 2012 and provided by the German authorities on 27 September 2012, and following consultation with the Group of Experts, the Commission has drawn up the following opinion:






1.


The distance between the Lingen site and the nearest border with another Member State, in this case the Netherlands, is 12,6 km.










2.


During normal dismantling operations the discharges of liquid and gaseous radioactive effluents are not liable to cause an exposure of the population in another Member State that would be significant from the point of view of health.










3.


Solid radioactive waste will be stored on site awaiting the availability of a national repository.
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 Basic Safety Standards (Directive 96/29/Euratom).










4.


In the event of unplanned releases of radioactive effluents that may follow a reference design basis accident of the type and magnitude considered in the General Data, the doses likely to be received by the population of another Member State would not be significant from the point of view of health.
However, in more severe accident situations, the dose to the population living in the border areas of the nearest Member State could reach levels where the competent authorities might consider taking countermeasures. In this context, it is noted that Germany and its neighbouring Member States have ratified bilateral agreements on early notification and mutual assistance in the event of a radiological emergency.




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 dismantling of the KWL Nuclear Power Plant, located at Lingen in Lower Saxony, Germany, both in normal operation and in the event of a reference design basis accident of the type and magnitude considered in the General Data, is not liable to result in a radioactive contamination, significant from the point of view of health, of the water, soil or airspace of another Member State.

Done at Brussels, 18 December 2012.


For the Commission

Günther OETTINGER

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 of 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.