COMMISSION OPINION of 8 May 1991 concerning the plan for the disposal of radioactive waste from the Siemens AG fuel element facility uranium processing plant in Hanau (Federal Republic of Germany) in accordance with Article 37 of the Euratom Treaty (Only the German text is authentic) (91/279/Euratom)

On 15 November 1990, the Commission of the European Communities received from the German Government, in accordance with Article 37 of the Euratom Treaty, the general data concerning the plan for the disposal of radioactive waste arising from operation of the Siemens AG fuel element facility uranium processing plant in Hanau.

On the basis of the data thus obtained, and after consultation of the group of exports, the Commission drew up the following opinion:

1. The distance between the plant and the nearest point on the territory of another Member State, in this case Luxembourg, is approximately 145 km; Belgium and the Netherlands are at distances of approximately 150 and 180 km respectively.

2. Under normal operating conditions, the discharges of liquid and gaseous effluents will produce an exposure of the population in other Member States that is not significant from the health point of view.

3. The solid radioactive waste produced in the plant is as much as possible recycled. The non-recoverable part is stored on site pending transfer for final storage on a national site.

4. In the event of unplanned discharges of radioactive waste which may follow an accident on the scale considered in the general data, the doses likely to be received by 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 from the uranium processing plant of the Siemens AG fuel element facility in Hanau, both in normal operation and in the event of an accident of the 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.

For the Commission

Carlo RIPA DI MEANA

Member of the Commission