Conventional waste management

​​The great part of materials resulted from the decommissioning activities of Caorso nuclear power plant undergo radiological checks and, after being proved releasable, they are removed from the site to be recycled. Among these, there are ferrous materials (pipes, valves, components and electromechanical devices) and concrete. 

 Conventional waste management involves several actions: storage in a temporary repository, classification according to the European Waste Code (EWC), update and registration according to law and removal from the plant through authorised transport. Sogin ensures the traceability of materials, from disassembly or demolition to the recovery or disposal facility.

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materiali convenzionali 
Caorso Nuclear Power Plant – Destination of materials
Approx. 300,000 tonnes (94%) of the approx. 320,000 tonnes of materials totally produced in the decommissioning of Caorso nuclear power plant, mainly consisting of concrete and metals, will be recovered and recycled. 

For example, in the period 2013-2014, the dismantling of the Off-gas Building resulted in approx. 350 tonnes of metallic materials to be recovered and 7,000 tonnes of (non-radioactive) concrete that have been transformed in secondary raw material and reused for filling the excavations resulted from the dismantling of the underground systems adjacent to the building (former hold-up building). 

This work is an example of the sustainable approach adopted by Sogin in managing the waste resulted from decommissioning operations, an approach that reflects the principles of circular economy.