Environmental Assessment of the Dismantling of 12 Russian Nuclear Submarines

Abstract

The project to dismantle 12 out-of-service nuclear submarines ('the dismantling project') consists of all operations and activities that are required for the defuelling and recycling of 12 Russian nuclear submarines at Zvezdochka shipyard in Severodvinsk, northwest Russia. The dismantling began in late 2004 and will continue over the next four years. The dismantling project will secure the highly-enriched spent nuclear fuel (SNF) currently onboard the 12 submarines by re-incorporating it into the Russian nuclear fuel cycle, thereby combating the proliferation of weapons and materials of mass destruction. The assessment was conducted over a two month period in 2004, including a study team visit to the dismantling site. A systemic multi-step screening approach was used to focus a team visit to the site and allow production of a thorough Screening Report on an accelerated schedule. Potential effects were methodically assessed and opportunities for environmental performance improvement identified. Methods and procedures for conducting EAs on Canadian nuclear projects were applied in this challenging international project. The assessment concluded that the project is not likely to result in any significant adverse effects on the environment, taking into account identified mitigation measures. A follow-up program is planned to confirm the validity of this conclusion.