Commission proposal calls for deep geological storage of waste radioactive material.
The European Commission will urge member states to bury their radioactive waste deep underground as the safest way to dispose of spent fuel, according to a leaked proposal. The plans have the approval of the nuclear industry, but have been condemned by anti-nuclear campaigners.
In a draft directive on nuclear waste that will be published next week (3 November), the Commission will say that deep geological storage is “the safest and most sustainable” option for disposing of spent fuel and the other dangerous nuclear waste that must be kept away from humans for tens of thousands of years.
Finland, France and Sweden plan to have underground repositories open for business between 2020 and 2025, and the Commission hopes other national governments will follow suit.
Currently, the 50,000 cubic metres of radioactive waste produced in the EU each year are stored in special buildings above ground. Lower-grade nuclear waste, such as machinery from de-commissioned reactors, used equipment and residues, can already be stored underground.
The Commission believes that a longer-term answer must be found to avoid burdening future generations with radioactive waste, and to reduce risks, either from terrorist attacks or from governments running out of money to maintain their facilities.
“Most countries have yet to take key decisions regarding the management of spent fuel and radioactive waste,” states a draft of the directive seen by European Voice. “The consequences of the delay are that burdens will be passed on to future generations.”
Managing waste
