The ANVS is renewing the licence for Zeeland Refinery N.V. This means the company, located on Luxemburgweg 1 in Nieuwdorp, can use more radioactive sources. Renewal is also necessary to improve the licence’s clarity. Interested parties have the right to appeal against this licensing decision until 6 May 2026.
Image: © I&W
Radioactive sources for safe processes
Zeeland Refinery produces fuel and other raw materials from crude oil. The refinery uses radioactive sources to monitor its operational processes and ensure that these are safe. It has asked for its licence to be renewed because it wants to continue carrying out these activities.
Naturally occurring radioactive materials precipitating onto equipment
Oil contains naturally occurring radioactive materials. These radioactive materials accumulate on Zeeland Refinery’s equipment. The company measured this accumulation and discovered that the amounts exceed the legally permitted limits for radioactivity. This was an additional reason to apply for a licence renewal. The licence specifies the measures the company must implement to be able to safely continue its operational processes.
Responses to the draft licence
Between 5 November 2025 and 17 December 2025, anyone who wished to do so could submit a response to the draft licence.
Zeeland Refinery submitted a statement of view. This statement of view proposed various substantive and editorial changes. The ANVS made several amendments to the final licence in response. Section 2.4 explains these amendments in greater detail.
Appeals possible until 6 May 2026
If you are an interested party and you are directly affected by our decision to grant this licence, you have the right to appeal against the final licence until 6 May 2026. This is also possible if you cannot reasonably be held accountable for having failed to submit a statement of view earlier.
Would you like to find out more?
Please read the official announcement in the Government Gazette.
Further information on this topic
Respond to the renewal of Zeeland Refinery’s licence for the use of radioactive materials