COMMISSION OPINION of 14 April 1992 concerning the plan for the disposal of radioactive waste of the 'Quercus' uranium ore processing plant of ENUSA in Saelices el Chico (Spain) in accordance with Article 37 of the Euratom Treaty (92/254/Euratom)

On 21 October 1991, the Commission of the European Communities received from the Spanish Government, in accordance with Article 37 of the Euratom Treaty, the general data concerning the plan for the disposal of radioactive waste arising from operation of the 'Quercus' uranium ore processing plant of ENUSA in Saelices el Chico (Salamanca).

On the basis of the data thus obtained and after consultation with the group of experts, the Commission drew up the following opinion:

1. The distance between the plan and the nearest point on the territory of another Member State, in this case Portugal, is approximately 14 kilometres; France is at a distance of approximately 510 kilometres.

2. Under normal operating conditions, the discharges of liquid and gaseous effluents will produce an exposure of the population in other Member States that is not significant from the health point of view.

3. The solid radioactive wastes produced have a very low level of radioactivity and are stored in appropriate facilities; geotechnic, environmental and site restoration studies have been made. These studies show that the long-term storage of the solid radioactive wastes does not bring about any significant radiological risks.

4. 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 population in other Member States would not be significant from the health point of view.

In conclusion, the Commission is of the opinion that the implementation of the plan for the disposal of radioactive waste from the 'Quercus' uranium ore processing plant of ENUSA in Saelices el Chico (Salamanca), both in normal operation and in the event of an accident of the 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.

For de Commission

Carlo RIPA DI MEANA

Member of the Commission