Environment

How do you start the demolition of a nuclear power plant or nuclear site? How long does it take? How much does it cost? SCK CEN has already completed numerous large-scale decommissioning projects. These projects provide SCK CEN with a wealth of expertise that it can use internally and valorise externally in the case of installations to be dismantled.

What is radioactive waste? Where does the radioactive waste come from? What do we do with it? The National Agency for Radioactive Waste and Enriched Fissile Materials (ONDRAF/NIRAS) is looking into this question. SCK CEN helps ONDRAF/NIRAS to answer all questions.

Certain work processes, including electricity production by nuclear energy, nuclear medicine, medical imaging and radiotherapy, use ionising radiation or radioactivity. Increased exposure increases the risk of health damage. SCK CEN measures, analyses and controls the doses that both workers and the environment incur.

Radioactivity is a natural phenomenon, but also arises from human activities. It is present everywhere, but not visible to the naked eye. So how do we perceive radioactivity? SCK CEN knows the tricks of the trade and even detects extremely low concentrations of radioactivity.

The likelihood of a nuclear accident is small, but never completely ruled out. In the event of a nuclear accident, radioactivity may be released into the air, water or soil. In order to be able to take appropriate measures, the government must be able to assess the situation correctly. SCK CEN helps the government by carrying out on-site measurements and calculating the radiological consequences for people and the environment.