Since the 1980s, uranium hexafluoride for nuclear power plants has been processed in the uranium enrichment facility Gronau in Münsterland. But what to do with the radioactive and highly toxic substance that is produced in the plant in North Rhine-Westphalia, argue politicians and environmentalists for a long time.
Years ago, thousands of tons of depleted uranium hexafluoride were shipped to Russia. In Siberia, the aggressive substance was stored in barrels that were outdoors. After public protests, exports were finally stopped - that was ten years ago.
But now the toxin is brought back to Russia by train. According to a report of the "taz", the operator Urenco, in which also the German energy suppliers Eon and RWE are involved, agreed to transport 12,000 tonnes of depleted uranium to Russia by 2022. This emerged from a request from the left to the Federal Environment Ministry.
In addition, since May, the first six transport trains with a total of nearly 3,600 tons of uranium hexafluoride have reached a facility in Jekatarinburg. Although uranium hexafluoride is still processed there, more than three quarters of the substance remains as nuclear waste in Russia. The toxin is not labeled as nuclear waste, it is declared as recyclable material.
Left-wing MP Hubertus Zdebel criticizes these export transactions. "The company always speaks fair-haired of valuable material." It is obvious that this new edition of Russia's exports is about the fact that considerable amounts of nuclear waste are disposed of cheaply in Russia, "he writes on his homepage.
The criticism rejects the Ministry of the Environment. One has no legal possibilities, since the export is not authorization-but only notifiable, it is said. Urenco himself had not commented, but announced a statement.
The plant in Gronau is the only commercial uranium enrichment plant in Germany. Not least because of the decided nuclear phase-out, the ongoing production caused trouble in the coalition. This is the reason why ever larger quantities of atomic waste have accumulated for years and their storage has not been clarified.
