Environmental remediation activities at WISMUT GmbH, Germany

Saito, Hiroshi; Takahashi, Kuniaki ; Miyasaka, Yasuhiko*; Yamana, Hajimu*

The WISMUT GmbH has carried out environmental remediation activities since 1991 in former GDR (German Democratic Republic) to rehabilitate the environment and landscape which have been adversely affected by decades of unrestrained mining and processing of uranium ores. It is worthy of being mentioned especially that WISMUT GmbH's sites including waste rock dump, mill tailings pond, open pit mine and water treatment facilities with an area of 3,700ha have been rehabilitated practically and extensively, and these activities are planned to terminate in 2015 except for the water treatment. For safety assessment after remediation, 1mSv/y (in excess of the background level) is applied to as an individual effective dose, from the recommendation of ICRP (International Commission on Radiological Protection). This report shows a summary of environmental remediation activities carried out by the WISMUT GmbH and related regulatory laws.