COMMISSION OPINION

of 21 December 2011

relating to the plan for the disposal of radioactive waste arising from the New Low-level Waste Facilities, located adjacent to the Dounreay nuclear licensed site in Scotland, United Kingdom, in accordance with Article 37 of the Euratom Treaty

(Only the English text is authentic)

2011/C 374/02

The assessment below is carried out under the provisions of the Euratom Treaty, without prejudice to any additional assessments to be carried out under the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union and the obligations stemming from it and from secondary legislation.

On 29 June 2011, the European Commission received from the United Kingdom 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 New Low-level Waste Facilities, located adjacent to the Dounreay nuclear licensed site in Scotland, United Kingdom.

On the basis of these data and additional information requested by the Commission on 11 July 2011 and provided by the United Kingdom authorities on 25 August 2011, and following consultation with the Group of Experts, the Commission has drawn up the following opinion:

1.

The distance between the New Low-level Waste Facilities and the nearest point of another Member State, in this case the Republic of Ireland is some 600 km.

2.

During the New Low-level Waste Facilities’ operational period:

— Radioactive waste will be emplaced in the New Low-level Waste Facilities without intention of retrieval.

— The New Low-level Waste Facilities will not be subject to a discharge authorisation for liquid and gaseous radioactive effluents. Under normal operating conditions, radioactive gases and liquids will not be released from the New Low-level Waste Facilities. Under normal operating conditions the New Low-level Waste Facilities will not be liable to affect the health of the population of another Member State.

— In the event of unplanned releases of radioactive effluents, that may follow the accidents of the type and magnitude considered in the General Data, the doses likely to be received by the population in another Member State would not be significant from the point of view of health.

3.

Beyond the New Low-level Waste Facilities’ operational period:

The measures envisaged for the final closure of the New Low-level Waste Facilities as described in the General Data provide reliance that the conclusions under point 2 above will remain valid in the long-term.

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 New Low-level Waste Facilities located adjacent to the Dounreay nuclear licensed site in Scotland, United Kingdom, during its normal operational life and after its final closure, as well as in the event of accidents of the type and magnitude considered in the General Data, is not liable to result in a radioactive contamination of the water, soil or airspace of another Member State.

Done at Brussels, 21 December 2011.

For the Commission

Günther OETTINGER

Member of the Commission