The JRC Ispra Decommissioning and Waste Management Programme - 13013

In 1957 The European Atomic Energy Community, empowered in 1957 by the Euratom Treaty, decided to create a series of Joint Research Centres (JRC) in some Member States to contribute to the growth of the pacific use of nuclear energy in the EU. The management of these centres was assigned to the European Commission. The development of the Ispra site begun in 1961, and different facilities were successively constructed, namely research reactors, hot cells, radiochemical laboratories and experimental waste management plants. The nuclear R and D activities, were then conducted for about twenty years, covering many areas, e.g.: - Cirene program in ESSOR reactor; - post accidental behaviour of fuel in Faro; - reprocessing of spent fuel and vitrification of fission products; - safeguards development. In addition, training of Italian staff for Italian nuclear power plants was performed, mainly on Ispra 1 reactor. In the 80's, these activities were progressively reduced, and launch of decommissioning program was decided in 1999 through a communication to the European Parliament and to the European Council. According to the Euratom Treaty (1957) and in particular to Article 8, relevant to the management of nuclear installations, the Commission is responsible throughout the life of a facility until it is de-licensed and therefore the JRC is in charge of decommissioning these installations and manage the associate waste arising. Decommissioning nuclear facilities in Italy is possible, technical, budgetary and administrative complications can be mastered, nevertheless licensing issues should be considered very carefully.