Commission Opinion

of 27 September 2010

relating to the plan for the disposal of radioactive waste arising from the decommissioning and dismantling of the FRM Research Reactor, located at Garching in the Federal Republic of Germany, in accordance with Article 37 of the Euratom Treaty

(Only the German text is authentic)

2010/C 261/01

On 5 May 2010, the European Commission received from the German government, in accordance with Article 37 of the Euratom Treaty, general data relating to the plan for the disposal of radioactive waste arising from the decommissioning and dismantling of the FRM Research Reactor.

On the basis of these data and following consultation with the Group of Experts, the Commission has drawn up the following opinion:

1. The distance between the installation and the nearest border with another Member State, in this case Austria, is 70 km.

2. During normal decommissioning and dismantling operations, the discharges of liquid and gaseous effluents will not cause an exposure liable to affect the health of the population in another Member State.

3. Solid radioactive waste is temporarily stored in an on-site facility before final disposal in an approved repository. Non-radioactive solid waste or residual materials that are released from regulatory control will be released for disposal as conventional waste or for reuse or recycling in compliance with the criteria laid down in the Basic Safety Standards (Directive 96/29/Euratom).

4. In the event of unplanned releases of radioactive effluents, 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 another Member State will not be liable to affect the health of the population.

In conclusion, the Commission is of the opinion that the implementation of the plan for the disposal of radioactive waste in whatever form arising from the decommissioning and dismantling of the FRM Research Reactor, located at Garching in the Federal Republic of Germany, 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 of the water, soil or airspace of another Member State.

Done at Brussels, 27 September 2010.

For the Commission

Günther Oettinger

Member of the Commission

--------------------------------------------------