WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1948/97 by Cristiana MUSCARDINI to the Commission. Disposal of radioactive waste in Italy
C 45/128 EN Official Journal of the European Communities 10. 2. 98 Answer given by Mrs Cresson on behalf of the Commission (30 June 1997) As provided by Article 126 of the EC Treaty, Member States have the exclusive responsibility for the content of teaching and for the organisation of educational systems. Church-aided schools or other private schools exist in various Member States. Their funding and the modalities of access to these schools are provided by the authorities according to national provisions and legislation. The Commission does not have any competence in this area. (98/C 45/164) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1948/97 by Cristiana Muscardini (NI) to the Commission (4 June 1997) Subject: Disposal of radioactive waste in Italy The Italian press has reported on a nuclear dump in the province of Piacenza (at Caorso), a mountain of dangerous waste, which no-one seems to know how to eliminate. This is the only Italian reactor that has been shut down since the 1986 referendum. The reactor, which at that time was valued at LIT 900 billion is now costing the Italian State LIT 800 million a day. Is the Commission aware that, although it was decided as early as 1977 to dismantle the plant within six months and to find a site to store the radioactive material, as yet › 20 years later › nothing has been done? Answer given by Mrs Bjerregaard on behalf of the Commission (26 June 1997) As a consequence of the November 1987 referendum the Italian government decided to discontinue nuclear power production at the operational plants at Latina, Trino and Caorso. At the Caorso boiling water reactor there are still 400 irradiated and 160 new fuel elements in the reactor core, and 632 spent fuel elements are located in the storage pool. Technically, this reactor is consequently in the situation of a reactor shut-down for maintenance, and all safety related devices have to be in working condition. Before envisaging any dismantling of radioactive components, all spent fuel has to be removed first. The Italian authorities have a service agreement for reprocessing of 286 fuel elements at Sellafield (United Kingdom). Reprocessing of the remaining fuel is an option, but long-term storage of the fuel is also a possibility. An interim storage facility for 50 to 70 years, which will receive vitrified waste from reprocessing, cemented long-lived radioactive waste, and possibly unprocessed spent fuel, is at present under study. The selection of options and timing for dismantling of installations for storage and for disposal of radioactive waste is a matter of national policy. (98/C 45/165) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1950/97 by Marco Cellai (NI), Cristiana Muscardini (NI) and Roberta Angelilli (NI) to the Commission (4 June 1997) Subject: Composting plant at Castiglione del Lago The municipalities of Castiglione del Lago, Paciano, Panicale, Chiusi and Citta‘ delle Pieve, in the Lake Trasimene district › an area of considerable importance from the archeological, environmental, agricultural and