France unveils innovative plan for repurposing nuclear waste: What impact could it have on your home?
EDF’s nuclear recycling plan
EDF, the state electricity company of France, has announced an ambitious project to create a recycling center on a 15-hectare site near the former Fessenheim nuclear power plant, which was closed in 2020. If approved, this center would be responsible for processing 500,000 tons of mildly radioactive metals over the next 40 years. The metals would be melted at a temperature of 1,650°C to be transformed into steel ingots, destined for the conventional metallurgical industry.
The main objective of this plan is to recycle materials with “very low radioactivity” coming from decommissioned reactors. According to EDF, these recycled metals could be used to make everyday objects such as cutlery, doorknobs, or even pots and pans. Although the idea seems innovative, it has raised concerns in some sectors.
Reactions and controversies
EDF’s plan is not the first of its kind. Countries like Sweden and Germany have already implemented similar strategies to recycle metals from their nuclear power plants. However, in France, environmental organizations like Stop Fessenheim have expressed their rejection of the proposal. They argue that, even though recycling is limited to mildly radioactive metals, there is a potential risk that these materials end up in everyday products, leading to unwanted exposure to radioactive waste.
Until recently, French legislation prohibited the reuse of any material from nuclear facilities, regardless of its radiation level. However, in 2022, a new law allowed for low-risk waste to be recycled, paving the way for EDF’s project.
Is this recycling safe?
Laurent Jarry, former director of the Fessenheim plant, has defended the plan. He assures that the metals to be processed are essentially scrap and, although they have a minimal level of radiation, they will be completely safe after the treatment they will receive at the recycling center. According to Jarry, these metals do not pose a health risk once they are melted and properly cleaned.
