COMMISSION OPINION

of 27 July 1999

concerning the plan for the disposal of radioactive waste from the operation of the Gorleben pilot conditioning plant (PKA) located in Lower Saxony in the Federal Republic of Germany in accordance with Article 37 of the Euratom Treaty

(1999/C 224/03)

(Only the German text is authentic)

On 3 February 1999, the European Commission received from the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany, 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 Gorleben pilot conditioning plant (PKA) in Lower Saxony.

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

(a) The distances between the plant and the nearest Member States are approximately 170 km and 250 km to Denmark and the Netherlands respectively.

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

(c) Solid radioactive waste arising from plant operations will be stored or disposed of in a licensed site in Germany (the BLG interim storage facility adjacent to PKA).

(d) In the event of unplanned discharges of radioactive waste as a consequence of accidents 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 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 the operation of the Gorleben pilot conditioning plant (PKA), both in normal operation and in the event of accidents 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.