Euradwaste '08 - EU Bookshop - Europa

consensus that geological disposal is the only feasible end point for much of today's nuclear waste.
This vision is also shared amongst the other research stakeholders, for example the principal research
institutes, and is reflected in the majority Member States' programmes. There is also a good
degree of co-operation in ongoing projects, and the relatively small number of URLs also promotes
a converging of national research programmes. A TP could also enable an exchange of experiences,
sharing of technology and planning of research tasks of common interest, as well as identifying
issues that are of purely national or bilateral interest.
The important work carried out in the FP5 project NET.EXCEL [6] showed that a greater degree of
integration is possible. A follow-up study – the CARD project [7] – was launched in November
2006 to elaborate further on the possibility of establishing a TP in geological disposal, and reported
back favourably on the idea in March 2008. Work on setting up the platform continues during
2008, piloted by a small executive group led by the Swedish and Finnish radioactive waste management
agencies (SKB and Posiva), and including the German Federal Ministry BMWi and the
French waste agency (ANDRA). Other stakeholders will be involved in the drafting of the allimportant
vision document, which will be opened for public consultation in early 2009 prior to the
official launch of the TP by the end of the year. Any structure to enhance coordination of research
in this field must be capable of handling the different requirements and speeds of the various national
programmes, and platform members should include not only the national waste agencies but
also the major research institutes and the TSOs, who work closely with the regulatory authorities.
3. Conclusions
In 1975, the Euratom programme identified potentially suitable rock formations in Europe, producing
an atlas of hard igneous and metamorphic rocks (granite, gneiss), clay-rich rocks and salt formations
selected on the basis of their stability, low permeability and good containment properties.
Since then, work has been focused on these three geological environments and EU Member States
have progressively developed their own active R&D programmes, supported by Euratom. Basic
R&D, both in the field and laboratory, has been built upon by practical tests and experiments in
specially constructed URLs that have now been operating for more than 20 years. The steps from
concept to implementation will therefore take many decades, and the further operational steps leading
to final closure of these repositories are expected to take at least as long. This slow and cautious
evolution reflects not only the complexity and multidisciplinary nature of the science involved,
but also the need for time-consuming demonstration experiments in host rock environments.
Today, the geological disposal concept is moving towards maturity and implementation.
Therefore, emphasis in FP7 is very much placed on integration of efforts on all remaining key aspects
with an implementation-oriented focus.
Delays in implementing actual repository programmes are now largely a result of the complex
socio-political issues involved and “wait and see” attitudes in some countries. Nowhere are the issues
more crucial than in the actual selecting of repository sites. The first national programmes to
have surmounted this problem are in Finland and Sweden, and both countries should have operating
facilities by 2020. In Finland, mining operations at the actual repository site have been underway
for more than 4 years. Since 2006, a legal framework is in place in France that should allow its national
repository to be in operation by 2025. Other countries have engaged in consultation and review
processes that have led to the selection of phased geological disposal as the reference solution
for the management of their most hazardous radioactive waste.
In the area of P&T, Euratom support has provided a crucial focal point for Member States' national
programmes over the last 10 years, culminating in substantial integrative efforts during FP6. As a
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