The European Tritium Handling Experimental Laboratory (ETHEL) is a new tritium facility at the Commission of the European Community's Joint Research Centre, Ispra Site. The Laboratory, which is foreseen to commence radioactive operations in 1992, has the basic research goal of investigating and developing safe tritium handling techniques. Therefore, during the design and construction of the facility much emphasis was given to provide research personnel with a flexible tool for performing experimental work under safe conditions. This paper describes the main types of containment in which tritium research will be performed and the various gaseous detritiation systems which serve these containments.