EUREX plant in Saluggia, liquid leaked during the handling of drums. Excluded release of radioactivity into the environment around the site. More checks in the coming days.

On June 15, 2021, during the management of radioactive waste present in the deposits of the EUREX (Enriched URanium EXtraction) plant in Saluggia (VC), during the handling of a drum containing radioactive waste, a small amount of dripping of liquid occurred, which affected a very limited area of ​​the pavement, less than half a square meter.

SOGIN, which manages the plant, immediately notified ISIN of the event, informing about the actions immediately taken.

The ISIN therefore carried out, on 17 June, an extraordinary inspection at the EUREX plant, in order to acquire further information regarding the dynamics of the event, the safety of the radioactive artifact and the radiometric measurements carried out.

When the dripping occurred, the plant personnel carried out measurements of the contamination levels of the liquid, which was weakly contaminated, and reclaimed the surface affected by the dripping, removing the contamination with decontaminant and absorbent material and, subsequently, also removing the portion of asphalt affected by the event.

Officers from ARPA Piemonte also took part in the inspection, with whom an inspection was carried out in the areas affected by the anomaly and samples were taken to be subjected to radiometric analyzes and radiometric measurements were carried out in the area affected by the event which, following the remedial actions implemented, they did not reveal any anomalies.

In the next few days, checks will be carried out on the samples taken.

The dynamics of the event and the first measurements made on the leaked liquid and the area affected by the dripping allow to exclude a release of radioactivity to the environment outside the site.