Püspökszilágy Radioactive Waste Treatment and Disposal Facility (1976 - )

The Püspökszilágy Radioactive Waste Treatment and Disposal Facility is a typical near-surface engineered facility consisting of concrete vaults and steel-lined wells for the disposal of spent sources. The facility has been used to dispose of low- and intermediate-level wastes from the pilot Solymár repository (1960), operational wastes from the Paks Nuclear Power Plant and various institutional wastes from research facilities and hospitals in Hungary.

Events

1970s	The Hungarian Atomic Energy Commission (HAEC) decided to establish a new radioactive waste disposal facility
December 1976	The Püspökszilágy Radioactive Waste Treatment and Disposal Facility was commissioned and operated by the Capital Institute of the State Public Health and Medical Officer Services
1980	The Solymár repository site was cleaned up and closed by transferring all waste to the new Püspökszilágy Radioactive Waste Treatment and Disposal Facility
1983 - 1989	The Püspökszilágy Radioactive Waste Treatment and Disposal Facility was permitted to dispose of low-level solid radioactive wastes from the Paks Nuclear Power Plant but ceased due to strong public opposition
1992 - 1996	The Püspökszilágy Radioactive Waste Treatment and Disposal Facility accepted further Paks Nuclear Power Plant low-level solid wastes following negotiations and a referendum at the local villages
2 July 1998 -	The Public Agency for Radioactive Waste Management (PURAM) took over responsibility for the operation of the Püspökszilágy Radioactive Waste Treatment and Disposal Facility

Timeline

 c. 1954 - 1959 Radioactive Waste Storage Facility
       1959 - 1980? Solymár Repository
             1976 - Püspökszilágy Radioactive Waste Treatment and Disposal Facility