Ennatuurlijk granted authorisation for operations involving natural radioactivity
Ennatuurlijk Aardwarmte Holding B.V. (Ennatuurlijk) has been granted authorisation for operations involving natural radioactivityat one location in Andijk (Municipality of Medemblik) and three locations in Middenmeer (Municipality of Hollands Kroon). Interested parties have the right to appeal against our licensing decision until midnight on 6 September 2024.
Natural radioactivity associated with geothermal energy
Ennatuurlijk is a company that extracts hot water from underground geothermal sources to heat greenhouses, for example. Radioactive materials have existed in the deep subsurface of the Earth since its formation. These materials may be brought to the surface along with the hot water during the pumping process.
The radioactive materials occur in low concentrations in the water and can accumulate in the filters, for example. This accumulation may cause a filter or other part of Ennatuurlijk’s geothermal energy plant to become radioactively contaminated. The licence specifies safe practices for the company in handling this.
Ennatuurlijk must implement measures to protect workers and surroundings
This necessitates the implementation of precautionary radiation protection measures, such as concrete blocks shielding the plant and restricting access. These measures are designed to protect the people working on site, for example. In addition, the contaminated parts or filters may not be treated as ordinary waste. Ennatuurlijk must dispose of them as radioactive waste.
The licence states what measures Ennatuurlijk must take to guarantee the safety of workers and the surroundings of the geothermal energy plant. The licence authorises Ennatuurlijk to have a certain amount of radioactive materials in their possession. They may also take samples of radioactive materials that are present in the geothermal energy plant.
Authorisation for storage and disposal of radioactive materials and contaminated parts
Ennatuurlijk may temporarily store the radioactive materials in a special storage facility that meets the legal requirements. They have a maximum period of two years within which to transport waste containing radioactive materials to a waste processor licensed to receive such waste. In the case of Ennatuurlijk, the transportation is usually made to Mineralz Maasvlakte.
Parts and instruments of the geothermal energy plant can become contaminated with radioactive materials. A specialised company must clean these parts and materials. Cleaning is not necessary if it is determined that the radioactivity has significantly decreased due to natural decay.
No responses to the draft licence
Between 17 May and 28 June 2024, all parties had the opportunity to review the draft licence. No statements of opinion were submitted during this period.
Appeals may be submitted until 6 September 2024
If you disagree with our licensing decision (in Dutch), you have the right to appeal until midnight on 6 September 2024. You can do so if you are an interested party,which means that our decision to grant this licence affects you directly. You can also lodge an appeal if you have previously submitted a response (statement of opinion), or if you cannot reasonably be held responsible for not submitting an objection before.
If you lodge an appeal, you can also apply for preliminary relief. This ensures that the licence does not take effect until after your appeal has been reviewed.
Two ways to submit
Submit your notice of appeal or request for preliminary relief to the Administrative Jurisdiction Division of the Council of State. There are two ways to do this:
- Online: if you are a private citizen, you can use your DigiD to log on to the Council of State’s digital service desk and submit your appeal there.
- By post: send your notice of appeal to the Administrative Jurisdiction Division, Council of State, PO Box 20019, 2500 EA The Hague
Would you like to find out more?
Please read the official announcement (in Dutch) in the Government Gazette.