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BfS objects to criticism of Lower Saxony Environment Ministry

Year of issue 2009
Date 2009.01.15

The Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS) makes the following statement on the allegations that BfS did not in time inform the general public and the Lower Saxony Environment Ministry about the rock-mechanical situation in chamber 4 on the Asse mine’s 750-m level:

The allegations are not justified.

  • On 3 December 2008, the Lower Saxony Environment Ministry (NMU) and the Landesamt für Bergbau, Energie und Geologie Niedersachsen (LBEG) were informed by the former operator Helmholtz Zentrum München (HMGU) about the rock-mechanical situation. BfS then brought Helmholtz Zentrum München to submit a report on the issue. Helmholtz Zentrum München forwarded this report to NMU and LBEG on 17 December.
  • On 7 January 2009, an expert talk with NMU and LBEG took place. Only after this talk was it possible to reliably assess the situation.
  • The Asse II Accompanying Group as the central body of participation and information of the public was comprehensively informed at its meeting on 13 January 2009.
  • On 14 January 2009, BfS communicated the issue to the broad public.

Background

Low-level radioactive waste packages filled with concrete have been stacked in emplacement chamber 4. The residual cavities in the chamber have not been backfilled so that the waste packages would be destroyed and radioactive aerosols would be released if larger pieces of rock fell from the roof (pillar) of the emplacement chamber. However, the emplacement chamber has been sealed to the residual mine.

Measurements in chamber 4 were already carried out from 2007 by the former operator HMGU. In a first assessment of measurement results on 17 December 2008, the Federal Environment Ministry, NMU, the former operator of Asse, HMGU, and BfS jointly arrived at the conclusion that there was currently no acute danger requiring immediate danger prevention measures. Nevertheless, BfS immediately started planning an additional sealing of the plugs of chamber 4.

On the Topic

State of 2009.01.15

Transfer of operator responsibilities

On 25 April 2017, the operator responsibilities for the Asse II mine as well as the Konrad and Morsleben repositories were transferred to the Federal Company for Radioactive Waste Disposal (Bundesgesellschaft für Endlagerung mbH, BGE). Previously, the responsibility for the projects was with the Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS). The foundations for the change of operatorship are laid down in the "Act on the Realignment of the Organisational Structures in the Field of Radioactive Waste Disposal", which became effective on 30 July 2016. The BfS focusses on the federal tasks of radiation protection, for example in the field of defence against nuclear hazards, medical research, mobile communication, UV protection or the measuring networks for environmental radioactivity.

© Bundesamt für Strahlenschutz