COMMISSION OPINION
of 21 December 2010
relating to the plan for the disposal of radioactive waste arising from the Buffer Store for very low-level radioactive waste, located on the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant site in Lithuania, in accordance with Article 37 of the Euratom Treaty
(Only the Lithuanian text is authentic)
2010/C 349/01
On 8 June 2010, the European Commission received from the Lithuanian 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 Buffer Store for very low-level radioactive waste, located on the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant site.
On the basis of these data and additional information requested by the Commission on 9 July 2010 and provided by the Lithuanian authorities on 16 August 2010, 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 point of another Member State, in this case Latvia, is 8 km. The next nearest Member State is Poland at some 250 km. Belarus, as neighbouring country, is at a distance of 5 km.
2.
Under normal operational conditions, the discharges of liquid and gaseous effluents are not liable to affect the health of the population of another Member State or neighbouring countries.
3.
Secondary solid radioactive waste will be temporarily stored in the installation before being transferred to the appropriate onsite waste treatment facility.
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, that may follow an accident of the type and magnitude considered in the General Data, the doses received in another Member State or neighbouring countries 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 Buffer Store for very low-level radioactive waste located on the site of the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant in Lithuania, 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, 21 December 2010.
For the Commission
Günther OETTINGER
Member of the Commission
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