COMMISSION OPINION of 10 September 1997 concerning the plan for the disposal of radioactive waste, from the operation of the Sellafield Solvent Treatment Plant of British Nuclear Fuels plc, Sellafield, Cumbria, United Kingdom, in accordance with Article 37 of the Euratom Treaty (97/C 291/05)

On 12 March 1997, the European Commission received from the United Kingdom Government, in accordance with Article 37 of the Euratom Treaty, general data relating to the plan for the disposal of radioactive waste resulting from the operation of the Solvent Treatment Plant, at the Sellafield site of British Nuclear Fuels plc, Cumbria.

On the basis of these data and clarifications subsequently provided on behalf of the United Kingdom Government, and following consultation with the group of experts, whose report is attached, the Commission has drawn up the following opinion.

(a) The distance between the plant and the nearest point on the territory of another Member State, in this case Ireland, is 180 kilometres.

(b) Under normal operating conditions the discharge 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.

(c) Low-level solid radioactive waste is to be disposed of to the authorized Drigg site operated by British Nuclear Fuels plc.

(d) In the event of unplanned discharges of radioactive waste which may follow an accident of the type and magnitude considered in the general data, the doses likely to be received by the 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 wastes arising from the operation of the Solvent Treatment Plant, at the Sellafield site of British Nuclear Fuels plc, Cumbria, 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.