Commission Opinion

of 19 March 2010

relating to the plan to modify the disposal of radioactive waste arising from the Magnox Fuel Handling Plant, established at the Sellafield site in the United Kingdom, in accordance with Article 37 of the Euratom Treaty

(Only the English text is authentic)

2010/C 72/01

On 17 September 2009, the European Commission received from the British Government, in accordance with Article 37 of the Euratom Treaty, General Data relating to the plan to modify the disposal of radioactive waste arising from the Magnox Fuel Handling Plant, established at the Sellafield site in the United Kingdom.

On the basis of these data and additional information requested by the Commission on 17 September 2009 and provided by the British authorities on 14 December 2009, and following consultation with the Group of Experts, the Commission has drawn up the following opinion:

1. The distance between the Magnox Fuel Handling Plant and the nearest point of another Member State, in this case Ireland, amounts to 180 km.

2. The planned modification will involve an increase in the authorised discharge limit for airborne Antimony-125 only.

3. During normal operating conditions, the planned modification will not cause an exposure liable to affect the health of the population in another Member State.

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 received 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 to modify the disposal of radioactive waste from the Magnox Fuel Handling Plant established on the Sellafield site in the United Kingdom, 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 of the water, soil or airspace of another Member State.

Done at Brussels, 19 March 2010.

For the Commission

Günther Oettinger

Member of the Commission

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