Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management, National Report from Estonia, Second Review Meeting

The Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management was adopted on 29 September 1997 in the Vienna Diplomatic Conference. Estonia signed the Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management 05 January 2001. Estonian Parlament ratified the convention 19 October 2005. Estonia deposited the instrument of accession to the Joint Convention on 03 February 2006. The convention will entry into force 04 May 2006. Most of the radioactive waste that needs further management measures is caused by the past activities during the Soviet time and the major generator of radioactive waste in Estonia is the decommissioning Paldiski Nuclear Submarine Training Facility. The plans for decommissioning of nuclear facilities are discussed shortly as well. There is also facility for interim storage for the radioactive waste produced in the decommissioning process and also for radioactive waste produced by various small users of radioactive substances, such as hospitals, universities, research institutes and industry in Paldiski. Radioactive waste depository, which was used during the Soviet time is situated in Tammiku and is temporarily closed due to the safety risks. The environmental impact assessment process is in the preparation in order to find the ways to improve its safety. The uranium mining and milling facility in Sillamäe was operational in late 1940’s – early 1980’s. Small amounts of radioactive wastes arise from a number of facilities using radioactive sources in medical, research and industrial application. Furthermore, the development in waste management policies and practices during the reporting period is described. Radiation Act provides that the benefits accuring from the use of radiation and practices involving exposure to radiation shall exceed the detriment it causes; that the practice shall be organized in such a way that the resulting exposure to radiation hazardous to health is kept as low as reasonably achievable and that no person’s exposure shall exceed the maximum values prescribed in the Radiation Act. These general safety principles, included in the Radiation Act, apply to management of radioactive waste arising from decommissioning the nuclear facility and also to other radioactive waste. Estonia is a member state of the European Union from 1st May 2004. Thus, the regulations of the Union are in force in Estonia. When necessary, the Estonian regulations have been modified to take into account the EU regulations. The EC Directives relate e.g. to radiation protection and transboundary movements of radioactive waste, whereas there are so far no regulations pertaining directly to safe management of spent nuclear fuel and radioactive waste. The present report is the first Estonian National Report and is presented for the Second Review Meeting to the Convention, which takes place 15 – 24 May 2006 at IAEA in Vienna. The report is prepared in accordance with the Guidelines regarding the Form and Structure of National Reports (INFCIRC/604, 1 July 2002) established by the Contracting Parties under Article 29 of the Convention at the Preparatory Meeting at IAEA 10 - 12 December 2001. The report is prepared by the Estonian Radiation Protection Centre under the Ministry of the Environment, in co-operation with radioactive waste management agency A.L.A.R.A Ltd. Based on the evaluation, it is the understanding of the Estonian authorities that ·the Estonian radiation and waste safety legislation fulfills the obligations of the Convention ·the Estonian regulatory infrastructure is in compliance with the Convention obligations ·the regulatory and licensing policies and the practical implementation of the radioactive waste management comply with the Convention obligations ·there are some future challenges to enhance safety, notably in the area of working out the policies; these challenges are discussed in the report. It is concluded in the report that Estonia meets all obligations of the Convention.