Commission opinion

of 15 December 2000

concerning the plan for the disposal of radioactive waste from the partial dismantling of the Monts d'Arrée nuclear power station in France, in accordance with Article 37 of the Euratom Treaty

(2001/C 11/04)

(only the French text is authentic)

On 26 April 2000 the European Commission received from the French Government, in accordance with Article 37 of the Euratom Treaty, general data relating to the plan for the disposal for radioactive waste resulting from the partial dismantling of the Monts d'Arrée nuclear power station.

On the basis of these data and clarification subsequently provided by the French Government, and following consultation with the group of experts, the Commission has drawn up the following opinion.

(a) The distance between the facility and the nearest border (with the Channel Island of Jersey) is 180 km, and the closest Member States are the United Kingdom, Ireland, Spain and Belgium, at 220, 510, 530 and 540 km respectively.

(b) Under normal operating conditions, the discharges of gaseous effluents are not liable to cause an exposure of the population in other Member States that is significant from the health point of view. The liquid wastes are disposed of at the Saclay effluent treatment plant (CEA).

(c) Solid radioactive waste from the dismantling operations is being stored on-site until disposal at national waste facilities (Centraco, ANDRA and a national, very low-level waste facility that should be available in 2003). The experts recommend that checks on conventional waste, that are carried out as a precautionary measure to confirm the absence of contamination, be such that at the same time compliance with the clearance criteria laid down in the basic standards Directive (Council Directive 96/29/Euratom) is ensured.

(d) In the event of unplanned discharges of radioactive effluent 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 waste, resulting from the partial dismantling of the Monts d'Arrée nuclear power station, 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 the radioactive contamination, significant from the point of view of health, of the water, soil or airspace of another Member State.