RADIOACTIVE METAL SCRAP RECYCLING BY MELTING PROCESS AT THE CHERNOBYLSITE

Within its TACIS programme the European Union ordered a feasibility st udy on the cleaning-up of the Chernobyl area from radioactively contam inated metallic material. The study was performed by a Ukrainian Germa n Working Group under the leadership of Siempelkamp and finalized at t he end of March 1994. The on-site evaluation for the 30 km exclusion z one showed an overall mass of metal scrap of min. 100,000 Mg with a ma ximum specific activity of 400 Bq/g based on 48 open depositories with in the restricted area. Dominant radionuclides were Cs 137 and Sr 90 a ccompanied by a very low proportion of ct-activity. The study report s howed the technical feasibility of a melting plant designed with a thr oughput of 10,000 Mg per year and its suitability for the overall conc ept to handle the Chernobyl waste. The main task for the near future c an be identified as the establishing of a sound financial concept.