Permission for the decommissioning and recycling of the VU Amsterdam Foundation’s cyclotron bunker
The VU Amsterdam Foundation and concrete processor Theo Pouw B.V. have received permission from the Authority for Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection (ANVS) to decommission (demolish) the cyclotron bunker in the Mathematics & Physics building at De Boelelaan in Amsterdam. They have also given permission to reuse the radioactive concrete that will become available after decommissioning.
Cyclotrons make radioactive materials that help detect cancer
Cyclotrons are machines that speed up particles. Most cyclotrons in the Netherlands are used to make radioactive materials that detect the presence of cancer in the body (diagnostics). Cyclotrons are placed in ferroconcrete bunkers to protect the environment against the radiation that is released in the process.
Decommissioning cyclotrons VU Amsterdam
Several VU Amsterdam cyclotrons are located in a bunker below the Mathematics and Physics building . They are a little older and are no longer in use. By now the new cyclotrons have taken over the production of these old cyclotrons. The new cyclotrons are located at the Amsterdam UMC Imaging Center . VU Amsterdam plans to demolish the Mathematics and Physics building, including the bunker currently housing the old cyclotrons.
Licence needed due to stringent standards in the Netherlands
When a cyclotron is in use, all the concrete and metal in and around the machine is irradiated. As a result, it could become radioactive. A large part of these materials is lightly radioactive, meaning it is not a danger to humans or the environment. But the radioactivity exceeds the limits of the standards in the Netherlands, meaning a licence from the Authority is needed to continue using these materials . This includes decommissioning. In the decommissioning of the cyclotron bunker, radioactive material and concrete become available.
Permission for the decommissioning and disposal of waste
VU Amsterdam has asked permission from the Authority for the demolition of the buildings that contain lightly radioactive material. In this process they will separate the radioactive metal and the radioactive concrete. They must then transport the radioactive metal to COVRA N.V., the Central Organization for Radioactive Waste, which is where all radioactive waste in the Netherlands goes. It will stay there until the radioactivity has decayed to the extent where the metal can be considered normal scrap metal.
Mixing and recycling concrete
During the decommissioning process, slightly more radioactive concrete is also mixed with concrete that is less radioactive or not radioactive at all. This is because the cyclotron does not irradiate all the concrete to the same extent, meaning that some areas become more radioactive than others. It is very difficult to safely remove the areas that are more radioactive before the buildings are demolished. For this reason the building will be demolished in its entirety, resulting in mixing.
The concrete is processed by a company called Theo Pouw B.V. While it is being processed, the concrete is also mixed with other materials. This way, they ensure that, in time, the concrete can be safely reused in building projects.
Permitted in exceptional situations
Mixing of radioactive materials with non-radioactive materials in order to reduce the activity concentration of radioactive materials may only be done with explicit permission from the Authority. The We may grant this permission if the radioactive material is mixed for the purpose of recycling or reuse. The licence applications adequately show that there are no better alternatives and that the mixing is done with a view to reuse of the materials . This way of processing results in the least amount of waste possible. For these applications, we have granted permission for mixing.
This must take place safely, which is why the licences clearly state conditions for protecting workers and the environment. VU Amsterdam Foundation and Theo Pouw B.V. must ensure, for example, that the exposure of workers to radiation is limited. The radioactive concrete may temporarily be stored at the decommissioning location. They must, however, ensure that the concrete remains damp so dust does not spread to the environment.
Objections can be submitted up to and including 22 December 2023
Stakeholders can submit objections to these decisions up to and including the following date 22 December 2023 If you wish to object, please send a letter to:
- Authority for Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection
- P.O. Box 16001
- 2500 BA The Hague
Please state ‘letter of objection’ on the envelope. In the letter, also clearly state to which decision you wish to object and why.
More information
There are two licences: one for the decommissioning of the building and one for the recycling of the concrete. You can find these in the Database of Published Licences (Dutch)
- Decision permit 1 (Dutch)
- Decision permit 2 (Dutch)
National Institute for Public Health and the Environment’s report on cyclotrons.
Would you like to find out more about cyclotrons? Please read the following report, available on the website of the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment: Radioactive waste and residual materials in the decommissioning of cyclotrons in the Netherlands | National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (Dutch).