Answer given by Mr Oettinger on behalf of the Commission
28.6.2010
1. In the framework of the Instrument for Nuclear Safety Cooperation, projects are being prepared including the investigation of radioactive waste burial and temporary storage sites in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, the comprehensive safety assessment of radioactive waste management facilities in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone and the establishment of procedures and methodology for the safe clearance of materials from regulatory control. In this context, the Commission has not become aware of the existence of a situation such as the one referred to by the Honourable Member
2. The Commission has not conducted any studies on the possible export of radioactive metals from China originating from the prohibited zone in Ukraine. However, as member of the International Atomic Energy Agency, China is bound to apply the international Basic Safety Standards for protection against ionizing radiation and for the safety of radiation sources (International Atomic Energy Agency, Safety Series n° 115, 1996[1]).
3. It is the Member States' responsibility to check levels of radioactivity in any goods imported in the European Union. The import of the material which exceeds exemption levels has to be reported to the competent authorities (expressed in activity concentration per unit mass rather than dose-rate), as defined in Euratom Directive 96/29 (Basic Safety Standards[2]).
In the case of metals, where contamination exists, it results generally from the inadvertent incorporation of an orphan source rather than from accidents like Chernobyl. In line with Council Directive 2003/122/Euratom on the control of high-activity sealed radioactive sources and orphan sources[3] Member States have installed or encouraged the installation of monitoring equipment at significant nodal transit points such as customs posts or in places such as large metal scrap yards. Most scrap yards and metal plants have such monitoring facilities.
- [1] http://www-pub.iaea.org/MTCD/publications/PDF/Pub996_EN.pdf
- [2] Council Directive 96/29/Euratom of 13 May 1996 laying down basic safety standards for the protection of the health of workers and the general public against the dangers arising from ionizing radiation, OJ L 159, 29.6.1996.
- [3] OJ L 346, 31.12.2003.