Decommissioning opportunity

Surface preparation and finishing specialist Wheelabrator Group has been awarded a contract to supply equipment for decontaminating materials at one of Europe’s nuclear facilities.

The company will supply a £350,000 abrasive blasting unit on behalf of customer RWE NUKEM to the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC) in Ispra, Italy.

A Wheelabrator R3d (V) Euro Tumblast machine, traditionally used in heavy duty metal foundries, will be used to decontaminate metal components and concrete blocks as part of JRC-Ispra’s extensive decommissioning programme.

Slightly contaminated material is produced when active nuclear facilities are decommissioned at the end of their useful life. Demolition of buildings creates large amounts of components, such as bricks, stone, steel and other structural material, considered to contain low levels of radioactivity within the surface layer.

Phil Smith, senior project manager at nuclear engineering specialist RWE NUKEM, said: “JRC Ispra has initiated a programme to reduce costs and minimise radioactive waste quantities, a major component of which is the decontamination of materials to clearance levels suitable for unconditional release in line with EU directives.”