Environment

Sogin promotes the protection of workers, people and environment.

For this reason, the company adopts a multi-disciplinary approach to assess the features of working areas (natural, human, chemical, physical, geological, landscape and economic factors), and detect any possible environmental impact. This approach, in the nuclear sector, starts from the design and operation stage and it continues until the final removal and decommissioning of the structures.

The design stage for nuclear decommissioning involves a preliminary assessment with specific and technical inspections, aimed at drafting specific radiological characterisation programmes and monitoring the environmental safety of the site.

Knowing the environment is fundamental to collect adequate information to implement dismantling and waste management operations, thus reducing environmental impacts and adopting safety and radioprotection measures for workers, population and environment.

Due to the environmental and territorial features of Italian nuclear power plants, there are restraints connected to human presence; these limitations allowed the natural development of high-value eco-systems, now protected on a national and community level.

Sogin monitors the environmental impacts resulted from decommissioning, through two main instruments: the Environmental Surveillance Network (Italian Acronym RSA – Rete di Sorveglianza Ambientale) in charge for the monitoring of radiological aspects and the Environmental Monitoring Network (Italian Acronym RMA - Rete di Monitoraggio Ambientale) to monitor the environmental impact of conventional elements.

RSA performs continuous and planned tests to assess the quality of air, water, soil and food produced in areas outside the power plant; RMA, instead, monitors the typical aspects resulting from conventional activities (noise, release of substances to soil, water and air).

Sogin promotes environmental protection by spontaneously adopting instruments of environmental management, such as EMAS regulation and ISO 14001 Certification guidelines.

Thanks to these actions, Sogin is constantly updated on the environmental conditions of its areas of interest. This knowledge is at the basis of any decision or action to be implemented.