Low and Intermediate Level Wastes

Most of the radioactive wastes generated in Spain are of the low and intermediate level type and are produced at hospitals, research centres, industries and nuclear power plants. Spain has solved the issue of managing these wastes through the El Cabril centralised disposal facility in Hornachuelos (Córdoba).

• Description of Low and Intermediate Level Wastes
• El Cabril Centralised Low and Intermediate Level Waste Disposal Facility
• Transport of Low and Intermediate Level Wastes
• Reference legislation

Description of Low and Intermediate Level Wastes

Number of radioactive facilities by autonomous community in Spain.

Low and intermediate level wastes are materials contaminated with radioactive isotopes whose radioactivity will be reduced by half in less than 30 years.

They may be tools, working apparel, medical instruments and other materials used in certain industries and at hospitals, research laboratories and nuclear power plants.

Low and intermediate level wastes

The group of low and intermediate level wastes also includes what are known as very low level wastes, which in view of their low radioactivity content entail less demanding requirements for their management.

Most of these wastes arise from the dismantling of nuclear power plants and represent a very high volume within the overall category of low and intermediate level wastes.

El Cabril Centralised Low and Intermediate Level Waste Disposal Facility

Installations of the El Cabril low and intermediate level waste disposal facility

El Cabril is the installation used for the disposal of low and intermediate level radioactive wastes in Spain. It is designed to cover all the current disposal needs for this type of wastes, including those arising from the dismantling of nuclear power plants.

The facility is located in the hills of the Sierra Albarrana, in the province of Córdoba, and its history as a waste disposal facility dates back to 1961, when the Nuclear Energy Board transferred the first drums of radioactive wastes to the site, disposing of them in a nearby disused uranium mine.

The facility has two platforms for the disposal of low and intermediate level radioactive waste and another with specific structures for very low level wastes. In addition, the facility has the resources required for the treatment and conditioning of wastes requiring such processes.

The disposal system is based fundamentally on the incorporation of natural and engineered barriers safely isolating the materials disposed of for the time necessary for them to be converted into harmless substances.

Acceda al contenido alternativo

El Cabril is considered by the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission to be one of the best radioactive waste disposal facilities in the world and is a point of reference for similar centres outside Spain.

Transport of Low and Intermediate Level Wastes

Those installations that generate low and intermediate level wastes are required to contact Enresa for the latter to collect the wastes and transport them to the disposal site.

Transport of radioactive wastes to El Cabril

Low and intermediate level radioactive wastes are transported by road to the El Cabril centralised disposal facility.

Each waste package is subjected to a series of tests to guarantee its safety. The transport vehicles are specifically designed, with special shielding, automatic locking devices, etc.

The training of the drivers in charge of the radioactive waste shipments ensures an adequate response in the event of any incident.

All waste removal operations are inspected by Enresa, which provides data on the shipments to the Nuclear Safety Council, the competent Ministries, the Guardia Civil, Civil Defence and the town councils.

Maximum safety

The protection of persons and the environment is ensured during the transport of radioactive wastes.

In the almost 3 million kilometres over which Enresa has transported materials of this type, there has never been any noteworthy incident.

In any case, whatever unforeseen circumstances or accidents might occur during the shipments are contemplated in a Contingencies Plan agreed on between Enresa and the Directorate General for Civil Defence. In this way adequate measures and procedures may be deployed and coordinated to manage the incident, minimising intervention times and risk.

The legislation in force on the transport of radioactive substances in Spain is included in the European Agreement on the Road Transport of Hazardous Goods (ADR).

All the shipments are carried out in accordance with the recommendations of the United Nations International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

Reference legislation

Low and intermediate level waste management activities are governed by the set of laws included in the legislation in force.