Radioactive Waste Management

The Republic of Croatia has an obligation to dispose of:

• Institutional radioactive waste (IRW) – it is a radioactive waste which is the product of application of radioactive materials and sources of ionizing radiation in research, medicine, science industry, etc.;

• Radioactive waste (RW) from the Krško Nuclear Power Plant – this is half of the radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel generated by the operation and later decommissioning of the nuclear power plant.

• Naturally-occurring radioactive materials (NORM) and NORM residues – this is low-radioactive waste material that results from the exploitation, refining and use of mineral resources, oil and gas that naturally contain higher concentrations of radionuclides. Although they are not considered radioactive waste, their management is regulated by the regulation on radiological and nuclear safety, which primarily provides for storage, reuse or recycling of residues. Remediation of locations with elevated concentrations of naturally radioactive materials is not the responsibility of the Fund, but of the owner of the location and the local self-government unit, under the supervision of competent authorities.

Pursuant to the Radiological and Nuclear Safety Act (official gazette “Narodne novine”, no. 141/13, 39/15, 130/17, 118/18 and 21/22), the Fund is required to establish and manage the RW Management Centre in Croatia.

The EU Directive has established a framework for the responsible and safe management of radioactive waste (RW) and spent nuclear fuel (SNF) 2011/70/EURATOM. The Directive requires member states to establish competent and efficient national RW and SNF management systems, including national legislation and regulatory and organisational frameworks. Pursuant to the Directive, the Republic of Croatia is responsible for its share of RW and SNF and is therefore required to adopt a detailed national programme for the management of these types of waste. In October 2014, pursuant to the Radiological and Nuclear Safety Act, the Croatian Parliament adopted the Radioactive Waste, Disused Sources and Spent Nuclear Fuel Management Strategy , which was the basis for the development of the National Programme for the Implementation of (Radioactive Waste, Disused Sources and Spent Nuclear Fuel Management) Strategy for the period until 2025 with a view until 2060.

RW and SNF from the Krško NPP

By signing the Bilateral Agreement and ratifying all international conventions, directives, etc., the Republic of Croatia, together with the Republic of Slovenia, undertook to decommission the Krško NPP and dispose of spent nuclear fuel and radioactive waste generated by the operation and decommissioning of the plant. Under the Agreement, Slovenia and Croatia mutually agreed to provide an effective joint solution for RW and SNF disposal, with equal funding from both sides. In the event that no agreement on a joint solution for RW and SNF disposal is reached by the end of the plant’s normal lifespan (the year 2023, later 2043), the Republic of Slovenia and the Republic of Croatia shall complete the takeover of Krško NPP RW and SNF, in equal parts, no later than two years after that deadline and independently bear the costs of any disposal activities that are not of common interest.

The 13th Session of the Intergovernmental Commission for Monitoring the Implementation of the Bilateral Agreement concluded that a joint solution for LILW disposal would not be feasible. Consequently, Slovenia and Croatia shall, respectively, retrieve and remove one half of the low and intermediate level radioactive waste (LILW) from the Krško NPP site. At the 17th session of the Intergovernmental Commission held in October 2023, the extension of the start of the removal/takeover of LILW to the beginning of 2028 was approved, which is also envisaged by the Fourth Revision of the Krško NPP RW and SNF Disposal Program(me).

The Republic of Croatia and the Republic of Slovenia have settled on long-term dry storage of SNF at the Krško NPP site and its subsequent disposal in a deep geological repository. SNF’s dry storage facility began operations in 2023 and is projected to operate for 60 years after the power plant’s shut down. As part of the Fourth Revision, the first proposal for a Research, Development and Demonstration Programme (RD&D Programme) for the joint disposal of SNF and HLW in a deep geological repository in Croatia or Slovenia was prepared. To address this issue, certain initiatives have also explored the prospect of a common, multinational solution. 

Institutional RW

In addition to waste from the Krško NPP, the Republic of Croatia is required to store and dispose of institutional radioactive waste generated in medicine, industry, science, military sectors and through public use. Pursuant to the Law on Amendments to the Act on the Fund for Financing the Decommissioning of the Krško Nuclear Power Plant and the Disposal of NEK Radioactive Waste and Spent Nuclear Fuel (official gazette “Narodne novine”, no. 21/2022), the Fund, in addition to management of LILW and SNF from the Krško NPP, also performs the management of radioactive waste generated on the territory of the Republic of Croatia.