Recent waste management related developments in germany

Abstract

The Federal Republic of Germany intends to dispose of all types of radioactive waste in deep geological formations. This waste comprises spent fuel elements, vitrified fission products, nuclear power plant operational and decommissioning waste as well as spent sealed radiation sources and miscellaneous waste originating from small waste generators. The Federal Government made a pronounced change in energy policy since 1998, the most important feature of which is the abandoning or phasing out of nuclear energy, finally set in force by the April 2002 amendment of the Atomic Energy Act. According to the new approach to waste management and disposal, further sites in various host rocks shall be investigated for their suitability. A special expert group was set up to develop repository site selection criteria and respective procedures on a scientifically sound basis. The objective of the site selection procedure is to identify—with public participation—potential disposal sites in a comprehensible and reliable way. Step by step and based on the said criteria, those areas, site regions and eventually sites shall be selected, which offer particularly favourable conditions for the later demonstration of the final site's suitability and its confirmation in a licensing procedure. © 2004 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.