TL: RADIOACTIVE WASTE DISPOSAL, EUROPE MISCELLANEOUS SO: Phil Richardson, Greenpeace International (GP) DT: May 1992 Keywords: greenpeace reports nuclear power radioactive waste disposal europe austria switzerland gp / ---------- Group 10 Miscellaneous Europe updated May 92 ----------------------------- Austria May 92 Austria has no commercial nuclear power programme, although there is a total of 5 research reactors (3 in Vienna, 1 at the International Research Center at Seibersdorf and 1 at the University of Graz). Low and Medium level wastes from these are currently stored at Siebersdorf. The Research Centre (OFZS) is involved in work on disposal and up to 5 sites have been identified as possibly suitable, but due to intense local opposition no site investigation has yet been conducted (1). **February 1992** It has emerged that the wastes at Siebersdorf are stored in a warehouse with no special precautions or installations. There are currently some 6,850 barrels in the store, each containing 200l of waste. The wastes, which have been accumulating since 1976, include foreign material which is sent to Siebersdorf for analysis in the IAEA laboratory there. It has been confirmed by scientists at the centre that some of these foreign-derived wastes, of which about 20 barrels arrive each year, contain plutonium (2). The Ministry of Health has a contract with OFZS to find a site for a final repository, but Science Minister Erhard Busek, as manager of OFZS, has ordered that the contract, which expires in June, should not be renewed (3). This is because none of the 4 sites selected by OFZS will allow drilling to be carried out as part of the next stage of investigation. The 4 sites are: Grossgraben, Perweis, Sitzenberg/Gutenbrunn and Bosruck-Sud. The mayor of Siebersdorf has threatened to cancel contracts with OFZS which permit storage of the wastes to continue, unless the search for a repository site is renewed. This would mean that the wastes would have to be returned to the country of origin (3). Sources: 1. Greenpeace Austria 2. IPS via Greenbase, 21/02/92 3. WISE 369, 27/03/91 Switzerland updated December 91 Policy (1) At the moment there are 5 reactors in Switzerland at 4 sites, producing 40% of electricity output. The remainder is hydropower. ***************************************************************** According to Swiss law, all radioactive wastes are to undergo safe and permanent storage and disposal. There is no legally agreed management concept, although deep disposal is the industry-favoured option. It is not proposed to build-in any form of post-closure monitoring or retrievability (2). In Switzerland, the producers of nuclear waste are responsible for waste management. Hence the power supply companies involved in nuclear production and the Swiss Confederation - responsible for wastes from medicine, industry and research - joined together in 1972 to form NAGRA (the National Cooperative for the Storage of Nuclear Waste). NAGRA is responsible for final disposal and all related work. The responsibility for spent fuel reprocessing and transport, for waste conditioning and for interim storage remains with the utilities. The Federal Government is supported in its decisions on waste management topics by the Federal Interagency Working Group on Nuclear Waste Management (AGNEB), by the Federal Commission for Safety in Nuclear Installations (KSA) and by the Nuclear Safety Division (HSK) of the Federal Office of Energy (BEW) of the Federal Department of Transport, Communication and Energy (EVED). In 1979, Swiss law designated the `permanent safe management and final disposal' of radioactive waste as a prerequisite to future development of nuclear energy. For existing nuclear plant, EVED demanded a project guaranteeing the feasibility and safety of final disposal as a condition for the extension of operational licences beyond 1985. This project - `Project Gewahr' - was submitted to the Federal Government by NAGRA in January 1985. After a thorough review by the safety authorities, the Federal Government decided in June 1988 that safety and feasibility of final disposal has been proven for all categories of waste, although for the high level and long-lived intermediate level wastes even candidate sites have yet to be selected. No formal decision has yet been taken by government for final approval of the deep disposal concept. L/ILW (1) Because of the high population density in Switzerland, no shallow land burial is envisaged, even for short-lived LLW or ILW. These will be disposed of in a cavern with access through a horizontal tunnel, in a suitable rock formation, at a minimum depth of 100m. The repository is planned to have a capacity for over 100,000 cu m of waste, equivalent to at least 40 years operation of the existing stations. Originally NAGRA selected possible host rocks according to hydrogeological and geological criteria and reviewed a total of 100 potential sites. This led to a selection of 20 sites which were further evaluated and narrowed down to 3 candidates: a) Bois de Glaivaz (VD, in anhydrite) b) Oberbauenstock (UR, in Valanginian marl) c) Piz Pian Grand (GR, in crystalline rock) In addition, a fourth site has been selected at Wellenberg (nr Oberbauenstock) where the geometry of the marl may allow the construction of a horizontally accessed repository for short-lived waste combined with a vertically accessed repository cavern for long-lived intermediate level waste, at a depth of around 300m at the same site. Drilling will continue here until the summer of 1991 (2). In February 1990 HSK recommended that work should begin immediately on a tunnel at Oberbauenstock, supposedly to provide proof of the site's suitability for `short-lived wastes' (note change in terminology). This appears to be due in no small part to NAGRA's inability to obtain data from Bois de Glaivaz because of intense local opposition (2). It is likely that an underground rock laboratory will be also be developed at Wellenberg. HLW It is planned to develop a storage facility for reprocessing waste returned from abroad at Wuerenlingen following an offer by the community to host it. There has since been considerable opposition to the granting of the licence for building to begin (2). It is planned to have a repository active by 2020. This is supposed to follow a successful demonstration of the concept in an underground laboratory. Monitoring of 6 deep holes in crystalline rocks is being carried out at 3 potential laboratory locations. The final choice of site is unlikely before 1997. It is likely that some areas of sedimentary rocks will also be investigated (1). **March 1991** (3) The fieldwork on crystalline rocks, known as Kristallin-1 has now been completed. Work will continue in producing a synthesis of all the results. Sites will then be selected for further investigation. **November 1991** (2) A large programme of site investigation is beginning in order to study the suitability or otherwise of the Jurassic age Opalinus Clay. Work is also underway to study other sedimentary formations, such as the Freshwater Molasse, in case the clay project fails to produce satisfactory results. An underground laboratory has been in operation off an existing road tunnel at Grimsel, since 1983, studying basic concepts. Sources: 1. NEA Publicity material 2. Greenpeace Switzerland 3. NEA Radioactive Waste Bulletin (as dated) ---