Commission Opinion of 19 June 2024 relating to the plan for the disposal of radioactive waste arising from the Oskarshamn very low-level radioactive waste disposal facility (MLA3), located on the Oskarshamn industrial site in Sweden
Date: 2024-06-19
Institutions: Directorate-General for Energy, European Commission
Subjects: Denmark, Kalmar county, Latvia, Sweden, nuclear power station, nuclear safety, public health, radioactive pollution, radioactive waste, storage of waste, waste disposal








C_202403849EN.000101.fmx.xml












Official Journal of the European Union


EN
C series













C/2024/3849


20.6.2024







            COMMISSION OPINION
         
of 19 June 2024
         
relating to the plan for the disposal of radioactive waste arising from the Oskarshamn very low-level radioactive waste disposal facility (MLA3), located on the Oskarshamn industrial site in Sweden
(Only the Swedish text is authentic)
(C/2024/3849)

The assessment below is carried out under the provisions of Article 37 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 10 July 2023, the European Commission received from the Government of Sweden, in accordance with Article 37 of the Euratom Treaty, the General Data relating to the plan for the disposal of radioactive waste (2) arising from the very low-level radioactive waste disposal facility (MLA3), a landfill type near-surface repository, on the Oskarshamn industrial site.
On the basis of these data and additional information requested by the Commission on 11 October 2023 and provided by the Swedish authorities on 22 February 2024, and following consultation with the Group of Experts, the Commission has drawn up the following opinion:






1.


The distances between the repository and the nearest points of other Member States are 300 km for Denmark and 320 km for Latvia, respectively.










2.


During the repository’s operational period:






—


Radioactive waste will be emplaced without intention of retrieval. However, the waste could be retrieved later, if the authorities so decide.










—


Under normal operating conditions, the repository will not release gaseous effluents. The liquid 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, in respect of the dose limits laid down in the Basic Safety Standards Directive (3).










—


In the event of unplanned releases of radioactive effluents that may follow an accident of the type and magnitude considered in the plan, these releases are not liable to result in a radioactive contamination of the water, soil or airspace of another Member State which is significant from the point of view of health in compliance with the provisions of the Basic Safety Standards Directive.














3.


Beyond the repository’s operational period:
The measures envisaged for the final closure of the repository and the results of the long-term safety assessment performed for the post-closure period, as described in the General Data provide reliance that the conclusions under point 2 above will remain valid in the long term.




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 Oskarshamn very low-level radioactive waste disposal facility (MLA3), located on the Oskarshamn industrial site on the Simpevarp peninsula, Sweden, during its normal operational life and after its final closure, as well as in the event of accidents 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, in respect of the provisions laid down in the Basic Safety Standards.


Done at Brussels, 19 June 2024.


For the Commission

Kadri SIMSON
               

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, as amended by Directive 2014/52/EU; to Directive 2001/42/EC on the assessment of the effects of certain plans and programmes on the environment, as well as to Directive 92/43/EEC on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora and to Directive 2000/60/EC establishing a framework for Community action in the field of water policy.

(2)  The disposal of radioactive waste in the meaning of point 1 of Commission Recommendation 2010/635/Euratom of 11 October 2010 on the application of Article 37 of the Euratom Treaty (
OJ L 279, 23.10.2010, p. 36).

(3)  Council Directive 2013/59/Euratom of 5 December 2013 laying down basic safety standards for protection against the dangers arising from exposure to ionising radiation, and repealing Directives 89/618/Euratom, 90/641/Euratom, 96/29/Euratom, 97/43/Euratom and 2003/122/Euratom (OJ L 13, 17.1.2014, p. 1).


ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/C/2024/3849/oj
ISSN 1977-091X (electronic edition)