OPINION OF THE COMMISSION of 1 December 1997 concerning the plan for the disposal of radioactive waste in the final repository for low and intermediate level radioactive waste at Loviisa, Finland, in accordance with Article 37 of the Euratom Treaty (97/C 385/02)

(Only the Finnish text is authentic)

On 6 May 1997, the European Commission received from the Government of Finland, in accordance with Article 37 of the Euratom Treaty, general data relating to the plan for the disposal of low and intermediate level radioactive waste in a final repository at Loviisa, Finland.

On the basis of these data and clarifications subsequently provided on behalf of the Government of Finland, and following, consultation with the group of experts, the Commission has drawn up the following opinion:

1. The general data concerns the disposal of operational wastes from the Loviisa nuclear power station to the repository. They do not cover the possible future disposal of wastes arising from the dismantling of the nuclear power station; accordingly, no conclusions are drawn on this aspect.

2. The distance between the repository and the nearest point on the territory of another Member State, in this case Sweden, is about 380 km (Estonia, a candidate Member State, is about 58 km away and the distance to Russian territory is about 45 km.)

3. During the operational period,

- under normal conditions, the discharges of liquid and gaseous effluents are not liable to result in an exposure of the population in other Member States significant from the health point of view. This conclusion remains valid taking account of the additional operational discharges from the Loviisa nuclear power station,

- unplanned discharges of radioactive effluents which could result from an accident of the type and magnitude considered in the general data are not liable to result in an exposure of the population in other Member States significant from the health point of view.

4. After closure of the repository,

- the measures to be taken for closure of the repository and the natural features of the site provide a high degree of confidence that the conclusions in point 3 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 low and intermediate level radioactive wastes from the Loviisa nuclear power station in the repository, both in normal operation and in the event of an accident of the type and magnitude considered in the general data, during the operational phase and after the closure of the repository, is not liable to result in the radioactive contamination, significant from the point of view of health, of the water, soil or airspace of another Member State.

The Commission notes, however, that the environmental monitoring provisions remain to be defined for the period following the closure of the Loviisa nuclear power station and that such provisions can contribute to demonstrating the continuing safe condition of the repository.