Commission clears plan for disposal of radioactive waste from Hunterston A power station

Brussels, 16 October 2002

Commission opinion of 10 October 2002 concerning the plan for the disposal of radioactive waste arising from the dismantling of the Hunterston A power station located in the United Kingdom, in accordance with Article 37 of the Euratom Treaty (OJ C249/21 16.10.2002). Full text [NB link expires 45 days from publication date]

On 2 May 2002, the European Commission received from the Government of the United Kingdom, 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 Hunterston A power station.

On the basis of these data, and following consultation with the group of experts, the Commission has drawn up the following opinion:

(a) The distance between the plant and the nearest point of another Member State, in this case Ireland, is approximately 140 km.

(b) Under normal operating conditions, the discharges of liquid and gaseous effluents will not cause an exposure of the population in other Member States significant from the point of view of health.

(c) Solid intermediate level radioactive wastes are stored at the site. Low-level radioactive wastes are stored at the site before being transported off-site for disposal in facilities within the UK.Non-radioactive solid waste or residual materials which are released from regulatory control will be released for disposal as conventional waste or for reuse or recycling, in all cases complying with the criteria laid down in the Basic Safety Standards (Council Directive 96/29/Euratom).

(d) In the event of unplanned discharges of radioactive waste, which may follow an accident of the scale 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 dismantling of the Hunterston A power station in the United Kingdom, 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.

Official Journal of the EC, C249/21 16.10.2002