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Transport / Storage > ... > ... > No export of spent fuel elements to Russia
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No export of spent fuel elements to Russia: BfS appreciates decision of Federal Environment Minister
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The decision of the Federal Environment Minister to reject the exportation of spent fuel elements from the Ahaus Interim Storage Facility to Russia is expressly appreciated by the Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS), not only for radiation protection reasons.
Upon application, the BfS had granted the licence to Nuclear Cargo + Service (NCS) in September. As the legal prerequisites for the transport of the CASTOR casks on German territory were complied with, the authority did not have any discretionary margin. From the BfS point of view, however, the planned transport brought up superordinate questions relating to radiation protection and the justification of former licences.
In 2004 the BfS had authorised the interim storage of the spent fuel elements in Ahaus. It was emphasised then that the decision to store the spent fuel elements intermediately in Ahaus was based on the directive of the federal government relating to the waste management path for German research reactors. The directive elaborates that until they are taken to a federal repository, fuel elements from research reactors be stored intermediately in Ahaus.
BackgroundThe Soviet Union had provided friendly countries with fuel elements for use in research reactors. The USA, Russia and the International Atomic Energy Agency concluded a contract about the return of such fuel elements in 2004. With returning and reprocessing the spent fuel elements in Russia it was to be prevented that the fissile material would be used for making nuclear weapons. On the basis of this contract the applicant wished to return the spent fuel elements to Russia.
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