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No operating nuclear power-station is located in the Republic of Estonia. Neither are there training reactors or installations related to nuclear fuel cycle. Estonia still has some legacies from the former Soviet times: the Paldiski nuclear facilities as well as radioactive waste disposal site at Tammiste, which does not conform to today’s requirements. In Estonia the volume and activity of radioactive waste is small. Radioactive waste is mainly generated by the use of radioactive substances and radiation sources in the industrial and medical sector and at scientific research. The only activity which produces waste containing natural radionuclides is the production of rare earth metals in Silmet Grupp AS. Waste is also generated by the deactivation and dismantling of the former Paldiski nuclear facilities.
Paldiski At the beginning of 1960s, the construction of a land-based training centre for the crews of soviet nuclear submarine fleet started in Paldiski. Two training stands with two operating nuclear reactors were located in the nuclear facility situated in the central part of the Pakri Peninsula. In 1989 both reactors were shut down. Training in the study centre continued till 1993, but without the actual experience of how to work with the reactor. On September 26, 1995, Estonia gave the reactors to the Russian Federation. Nuclear fuel was removed from the reactors and training stands were dismounted; the only things remaining were both submarine sections containing nuclear reactors around which sarcophagi from reinforced concrete were constructed. This was supposed to guarantee the safety and stability of the reactors for at least 50 years. Studies show, however, that the preservation conditions of the former Paldiski nuclear facility do not conform to internationally recognised safety criteria. On the basis of research results and the recommendations of radioactive waste treatment experts, planning and construction work was started in the December of 2005 in the framework of the European Union project PHARE. The aim of the work was to ensure the safe preservation of reactors and radioactive waste for at least 50 years. The ultimate objective of the long-term activity plan for the former Paldiski nuclear facility is to place the radioactive waste, including radioactive waste generated at the dismantling of reactor sections, in the final disposal site which is specially constructed for radioactive waste. The object is administered by AS A.L.A.R.A which was established in 1995 in the administrative area of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications.
Paldiski interim disposal site An interim disposal site was established in the main building of the former Paldiski nuclear facility in 1997. The site was designed for all the radioactive waste produced during the decommissioning of the Paldiski training centre nuclear facility.
Radioactive waste depository in Tammiku Tammiku radioactive waste depository was established at the beginning of 1960s. The landfill site was in use from 1963 to 1995 until it was closed due to non-conformity to the radiation and environmental safety requirements. In 2001 the elimination of liquid waste was finished. A preliminary research on solid waste was conducted during which the waste condition in Tammiku radioactive waste depository was assessed, a strategy for eliminating waste was developed and requirements for the equipment and technology used were specified. An assessment report on the environmental impact of waste elimination was prepared; after that the elimination could start.
Sillamäe radioactive tailing pond Sillamäe radioactive tailing pond refuse depository is located in Ida-Viru County, in the western part of Sillamäe, directly on the coast of the Gulf of Finland. The depository is located in a territory of approximately 40 hectares and contains about 12 million tons of uranium process tailings and oil shale ashes. Sillamäe Tailings Pond Remediation Project was launched by the state in cooperation with AS Silmet Grupp in the summer of 1997. Remediation of Sillamäe’s radioactive tailings pond completed Remediation was financially supported by EL Phare LSIF and the Nordic Countries. The depository received a multi-layer covering and is now undergoing a follow-up monitoring.
Steri Public limited company Steri has a radiation practice licence for processing goods from different materials with gamma radiation. The objective of this activity is to reduce biological contamination, i.e. sterilize goods. It is possible to sterilize various disposable medical supplies and devices, such as syringes, probes, containers, plasters, wound cleaning materials. For sterilisation AS Steri uses the ionizing radiation of radioactive cobalt (Co-60). The Ministry of the Environment has approved the environmental impact assessment statement of AS Steri. The report and other documents about AS Steri are available at http://www.envir.ee/927435. |
