Circular economy

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In Sogin's mission, nuclear decommissioning and radioactive waste management, the concept of circular economy is inherent. In fact, it involves the progressive reduction of the environmental impact generated by the presence of nuclear sites. 

The Company adopted a circular economy strategy based on the minimization of radioactive waste, through the decontamination of metallic materials and concrete from radioactivity, the efficiency of energy consumption, the recovery of conventional waste produced by dismantling and reuse of plant buildings, not to build new ones.

In waste management, for example, Sogin adopts strategies to reduce their production through innovative technologies and processes and recovery of conventional or decontaminated materials, generated by the dismantling of the plants. Even in the various phases of the procurement process, Sogin takes into account environmental and social criteria to identify goods and services that reduce the environmental impact and increase social benefits throughout the life cycle. 
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​​European Week for Waste Reduction

Sogin is the EWWR action developer, a European campaign recognized by the Ministry of the Environment to promote awareness-raising actions on waste reduction.​

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​Plastic reduction

An initiative to raise awareness among the people of the Sogin Group on conscious use and reduction of plastic. So Sogin joined the “Plasticfree” Campaign of the Ministry of the Environment.

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Nuclear decommissioning does not only produce radioactive waste, but much of the resulting material (iron, concrete, copper, plastic and so on) is recovered.

The dismantling of Italian nuclear power plants and fuel cycle plants will allow the recoverying of over one million tons of material, 89% of the total dismantled materials.
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​​​​Circular Economy
Nuclear sites in decommissioning – Destination of materials
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Sogin is integrating this circular economy model in a structured and systematic way into the design of all its activities.
By way of example, of the approximately 320,000 tons of materials that will be produced as a whole by the dismantling of the Caorso nuclear power plant, over 300,000 tons (93%) will be recovered, most of which are made up of metals and concrete.

In the Caorso power station, in 2013-2014 the decommissioning of the Off Gas building produced about 7,000 tons of concrete (not radioactive) which were transformed into secondary raw material and reused to fill the excavations produced by the dismantling of the underground systems adjacent to the building. ​

Another recent example is the recovery and re-use of materials produced by the dismantling of the rotor and alternator of the turbine of the Garigliano nuclear power plant. All the material produced, about 400 tons, was removed from the site, after being properly checked, and 96% was transferred to recovery and processing centers, such as metal foundries, to be reintegrated into the production cycle. 

Finally, as responsible for the localisation, realisation and management of the National Repository, Sogin is the bearer of a model of sustainable development which, in addition to freeing the territories that host the current facilities from radiological constraints, will enable the economic, social and environmental development of the territory that will host the new infrastructure.
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​​Centrale del Garigliano - Allontanamento di una sezione dell'alternatore
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In 2021 Sogin participates, for the first time, in the “Sodalitas Call for Future”, the initiative of Fondazione Sodalitas that seeks to make people, institutions and especially young people aware of companies’ strategic role in the sustainable development of the country.
In detail, the Company presents its own case history "circular" nuclear decommissioning for the Call for Planet thematic area - published on the digital platform sodalitascallforfuture.it - , highlighting the main decommissioning projects carried out that have contributed to the achievement of the objectives of the UN 2030 Agenda and to achieving a sustainable future.

In 2022, the Company confirmed its participation in the Sodalitas Foundation initiative with the case history Innovative technological solutions for sustainable nuclear decommissioning, for the Call for Planet thematic area. An opportunity to illustrate some of our innovative radioactive waste management solutions, such as AIGOR and 3D Survey, which contribute to the implementation of SDG n. 9 "Building a resilient infrastructure and promoting innovation and fair, responsible and sustainable industrialization". Sogin's project has been published on the project's digital platform​, along with the other enterprise actions admitted to the Call.

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