COMMISSION OPINION of 23 November 1990 concerning the plan for the disposal of radioactive waste from the DEMOX-P1 Fuel Fabrication Plant in Dessel (Belgium) (Only the French and Dutch texts are authentic) (90/626/Euratom)

The general data concerning the plan for the disposal of radioactive waste from the operation of the DEMOX-P1 plant were provided by the Belgian Government to the Commission, in accordance with Article 37 of the Euratom Treaty, by letter received on 13 July 1990.

On the basis of the data thus obtained and having consulted the Group of Experts referred to in Article 37, the Commission drew up the following opinion:

1. The distance from the installation to the closest point on the territory of another Member State, The Netherlands, is approximately 11 kilometres.

2. In normal conditions, the gaseous effluent discharges will give rise to negligible exposure of the population of other Member States from the point of view of health.

3. Liquid and solid radioactive waste will be processed in the nearby Belgoprocess facilities; slightly contaminated liquid waste will be discharged to the soil of the site. Such discharges will not cause any significant environmental contamination at the border of another Member State.

4. In the case of an unplanned discharge of radioactive effluents which could be occasioned by an accident of the magnitude considered in the general data, doses liable to be received in other Member States will 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 from operation of the DEMOX-P1 plant is not liable, either in normal operation or in the case of an accident of the magnitude considered, to result in the radioactive contamination, significant from the point of view of health, of the water, soil or airspace of another Member State.

This opinion is addressed to the Kingdom of Belgium.

Done at Brussels, 23 November 1990.

For the Commission

Carlo RIPA DI MEANA

Member of the Commission