Special inspection at the nuclear fuel manufacturing plant of Bosco Marengo (AL)

ISPRA carried out an extraordinary inspection at the nuclear fuel manufacturing plant of Bosco Marengo (AL) following the communication received from the SO.G.I.N SpA, manager of the plant, about the discovery of inert material buried during cleaning and tidying activities of the area within the plant site.
The plant carries out decommissioning operations, in accordance with authorization pursuant to Art. 55 of the Legislative Decree No 230/1995 and subsequent amendments, issued by Decree of the Ministry of Economic Development of 27.11.2008. In particular, during the inspection was detected the presence of buried metal drums and other materials related to past activities of the plant. The controls so far undertaken by the SO.G.I.N. revealed no radiometric anomalies.
SO.G.I.N. is still carrying out chemical analysis, also for the management of the recovered material as non-radioactive hazardous waste, according to the regulations in force, and further geomagnetic investigations are scheduled.
As part of the operating protocol between ISPRA and ARPA Piemonte, during the inspection were also present ARPA officials who have acquired the same soil samples to perform independent measurements.
ISPRA requested the SO.G.I.N. the preparation of a Operative Plan for the removal of the material found and its subsequent management.