Difference between revisions of "Radons"

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„Radons“ is a near surface  repository for both burial and storage of low and medium level radioactive waste. It is located in Baldone, 5 km from the city of Baldone and 27 km from Riga, the capital, and occupies the territory of 7 ha. The repository consists of 2 parts: supervision part and control area with 7 vaults. Only vault No.7 is still in use.
 
„Radons“ is a near surface  repository for both burial and storage of low and medium level radioactive waste. It is located in Baldone, 5 km from the city of Baldone and 27 km from Riga, the capital, and occupies the territory of 7 ha. The repository consists of 2 parts: supervision part and control area with 7 vaults. Only vault No.7 is still in use.
  
„Radons“ was built in 1962. Until 1972, only local radioactive waste was stored there, later waste from other Soviet states was brought to Latvia (Latvia was a part of the Soviet Union from 1940 to 1990). In 1986 protective garments from Chernobyl were stored there too. Today there is no import of radioactive waste to Latvia because it is forbidden by Latvian legislation. During the Soviet time, Latvia  had a research reactor and radioactive waste that was produced by it is also stored in „Radons“.
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„Radons“ was built in 1962. Until 1972, only local radioactive waste was stored there, later waste from other Soviet states was brought to Latvia (Latvia was a part of the Soviet Union from 1940 to 1990). In 1986 protective garments from Chernobyl were stored there too. Nowadays import of radioactive waste is forbidden by Latvian legislation. During the Soviet time, Latvia  had a research reactor and radioactive waste that was produced by it is also stored in „Radons“.
  
In 1991 the Government made a decision for extension of „Radons“, building 2 new vaults, however, due to various reasons the extension was not implemented. In 2008 the Government made a new decision concerning the extension of „Radons“ but it, too, was not implemented. Some locals who were against the extension gathered into NGO “Musu Baldone”, organized several protest activities and later went to the Administrative Court claiming that the extension was unlawful thus it cannot be implemented. The trial process  lasted from 2010 to 2012. The NGO lost the case.
+
In 1991 the Government made a decision for extension of „Radons“, building 2 new vaults, however, due to various reasons the extension was not implemented. In 2008 the Government made a new decision concerning the extension of „Radons“ but it, too, was not implemented. Some locals who were against the extension gathered into NGO “Musu Baldone”, organized several protest activities and later went to the Administrative Court claiming that the extension was unlawful thus it cannot be implemented. The trial process  lasted from 2010 to 2012. The NGO lost the case in all three instances.
  
 
== Critics ==
 
== Critics ==

Revision as of 15:10, 25 April 2013

Not completed yet

a picture of the facility that we are allowed to use

Summary

short text (1'500 characters max.)

„Radons“ is a near surface repository for both burial and storage of low and medium level radioactive waste. It is located in Baldone, 5 km from the city of Baldone and 27 km from Riga, the capital, and occupies the territory of 7 ha. The repository consists of 2 parts: supervision part and control area with 7 vaults. Only vault No.7 is still in use.

„Radons“ was built in 1962. Until 1972, only local radioactive waste was stored there, later waste from other Soviet states was brought to Latvia (Latvia was a part of the Soviet Union from 1940 to 1990). In 1986 protective garments from Chernobyl were stored there too. Nowadays import of radioactive waste is forbidden by Latvian legislation. During the Soviet time, Latvia had a research reactor and radioactive waste that was produced by it is also stored in „Radons“.

In 1991 the Government made a decision for extension of „Radons“, building 2 new vaults, however, due to various reasons the extension was not implemented. In 2008 the Government made a new decision concerning the extension of „Radons“ but it, too, was not implemented. Some locals who were against the extension gathered into NGO “Musu Baldone”, organized several protest activities and later went to the Administrative Court claiming that the extension was unlawful thus it cannot be implemented. The trial process lasted from 2010 to 2012. The NGO lost the case in all three instances.

Critics

contact details of critical groups working against this facility

  • group name, phone, email, website, postal address
  • NGO "Musu Baldone"
phone: +371 28257999
email: info AT musubaldone.lv[2]
http://www.musubaldone.lv (currently not working - April 25, 2013)

Links

links to operator and critical websites

Background Information

There are no nuclear power plants in Latvia, so the country has a repository only for low and medium level radioactive waste. It is called „Radons“ and is located in Baldone, 5 km from the city of Baldone and 27 km from Riga, the capital.[3]

„Radons“ was built in 1962. [4] Until 1972, only local radioactive waste was stored there, later waste from other Soviet states was brought to Latvia. In 1986 protective garments from Chernobyl were stored there too. There is no import of radioactive waste to Latvia because it is forbidden by Latvian legislation. [5] During the Soviet time, Latvia, like all other Soviet satellite countries, had a research reactor. It is located in Salaspils, not too far from Baldone, and was in operation from 1961 until 1998. Radioactive waste that was produced there is also stored in „Radons“.

„Radons“ belongs to the State and at the moment has 7 vaults. [6]
Vault No.1 (capacity - 200 m³) is not in use anymore and currently is covered by sand.
Vault No.2 (capacity - 200 m³) was cleaned from liquid waste and currently is not in use.
Vault No.3 (capacity - 200 m³) is made of standard concrete blocks therefore is was additionally sealed in 1986. Currently not in use and is covered by sand.
Vault No.4 (capacity - 40 m³) was intended for storage of biological waste. Built in 1974. Currently not in use.
Vault No.5 (capacity - 40 m³) was intended for storage of biological waste. Built in 1987. Currently not in use.
Vault No.6 (capacity - 200 m³), built in 1970, is made of standard concrete blocks therefore is was additionally sealed in 1986. Currently not in use.
Only vault No.7 (capacity – 1200 m³), which is in operation since 1995, is still in use thus its radioactive background in higher.

The total capacity of radioactive waste, including the vaults and concrete, stored in "Radons" is 800 m³. Total radioactivity is approximately 400 TBq (data of 2005).[7]

In 1991 the Government made a decision for extension of „Radons“, building 2 new vaults. Since „Radons“ is located very close to an inhabited locality, the Government promised a compensation for the municipality of Baldone – money for building of a school, an ambulance with a pharmacy store, a dwelling-house for teachers and a complex boiler house.[8] Due to various reasons, the extension was not implemented and the objects mentioned above are still being built, which later led to disagreements between the municipality and the State.

In 2008 the Government made a new decision concerning the extension of „Radons“: 2 new vaults with the capacity of 1200 m³ each. A compensation for the municipality was intended in this document too, but the municipality reproached to the State that it has not performed the duties undertaken in the previous document. [9]

In the new decision the extension was grounded on the necessity to store radioactive waste – approximately 1200 m³ - that would occure in the result of dismantling on Salaspils Research Reactor. It is more than „Radons“ could accomodate in vault No7. Rest of the space would be used to store radioactive waste that would occure from medicine and research and industrial activities.

Since „Radons“ is located so close to an inhabited locality, locals and the municipality are not happy about its existence and especially about Government’s plans to extend "Radons". For instance, in December 2008 nearly 30 people, included youth, picketed at the Cabinet of Ministers protesting against the planned extension.[10] Also 3000 signatures against the extension were collected. It is a very good indicator of the anti-Radons mood, because the population of Baldone is only 6000 people.

Locals say that the presence of "Radons" produces discomfort and prejudice about Baldone, which makes negative impact on Baldone’s development and there are not many people willing to buy a real estate in the area. Also locals are concerned about "Radons" impact on health and the environment and claim the amount of information on these issues is not sufficient.[11] Some locals have gathered into an NGO “Musu Baldone” (Our Baldone), which went to the Administrative Court. In their claim the NGO wrote that the decision about the extension was unlawful thus it cannot be implemented. The hearing was held on September 16th, 2010. The verdict was announced on October 7th and it rejected “Musu Baldone” claim. The NGO announced on their webpage that they will appeal against this decision. The appeal took place on January 10, 2012. The verdict, announced on January 31, 2012, was negative again. On February 2, 2012 "Musu Baldone" announced on their webpage that the battle is not over and they will appeal against this decision too.[12]

Additional Information

Unfortunately most information is in Latvian. Try to use Google Chrome, Google Translate or other programs for translation.

Media Coverage

Open Questions

  • Constructor?
  • Radiation doses?
  • Type of waste materials?
  • Solid waste, liquid waste?
  • Licence (how much waste is allowed to be stored there)?
  • What is stored there now?
  • Where the waste originates from?
  • Accidents?

  1. http://www.musubaldone.lv/docs/883/Radons%20IVN%20NZ%20Kopsavilkums%20LV%20F.pdf
  2. For protection against automatical email address robots searching for addresses to send spam to them this email address has been made unreadable for them. To get a correct mail address you have to displace "AT" by the @-symbol.
  3. http://www.musubaldone.lv/index.php?p=5601&lang=1079 as on June 6, 2012
  4. http://www.baldone.lv/Lapas/N_Radons.htm as on June 6, 2012
  5. Idem
  6. Idem
  7. http://www.musubaldone.lv/docs/883/Radons%20IVN%20NZ%20Kopsavilkums%20LV%20F.pdf as on June 6, 2012
  8. http://www.baldone.lv/Lapas/N_Radons.htm
  9. Idem
  10. http://m.apollo.lv/portal/news/articles/143119/ as on June 6, 2012
  11. http://www.baldone.lv/Lapas/N_Radons.htm
  12. http://www.musubaldone.lv/cina-nebut-nav-gala?p=7789&lang=1079 as on June 6, 2012