Euradwaste '08 - EU Bookshop - Europa

Michael Äbersold
Switzerland is in the process of developing geological disposal and among others one of the important
concerns is the idea of trans-border transparency. According to the Swiss legislation, the project,
for which a political strategy is in place for the next 20 years, needs local and national acceptance
by the means of referendums. In the same way the development of potential new NPPs requires
to go through a referendum process.
As part of the Swiss programme, the costs of disposal are anticipated by the establishment of budget
procedures and social policies will be implemented for those communities which will be involved
in the disposal project.
Alvaro Rodríguez Beceiro
The attitude of Spain with regards to geological disposal is not positive. The siting process has
been interrupted in the mid 90's and so far the situation is focused on an interim storage during 50
to 60 years and geological disposal is not treated as a priority.
According to the actors involved in the Spanish geological disposal project, the programme suffers
from a lack of political commitment as well as a weak public acceptance. Beside, the problem is
that given Spain’s public mentalities, history and other specificities, public acceptance is still a matter
of future wish.
Moreover, generally speaking, the nuclear industry is rather in favour of extended storage solutions
than progressing in the direction of geological disposal. Spain rather considers that a national project
for deep geological repository is at the moment unrealistic.
Vit�zslav Duda
In the Czech Republic, nuclear energy receives a favourable public acceptance and apart from the
fact that a national law prohibits import of radioactive waste, some politicians would be in favour of
accepting and managing foreign radioactive waste.
There is no state policy on reprocessing and the decision is left to CEZ, which does not perceive it
as being economically interesting. However, the question remains open.
As part of the geological disposal programme, site selection is scheduled for 2015, and repository
construction should start after 2050.
Due to the fact that the Czech Republic is a small country with a high population density, the transfer
of information on the nuclear programme is not optimized.
Under the Atomic Energy Act 2002, CEZ the nuclear plants operator is required to put aside funds
for waste disposal, lodging these with the Czech National Bank.
Gheorghe Negut
In Romania, the first unit of Cernavoda NPP has been operated since 1996, the second unit started
operation in 2007. Plans exist for construction of Unit 3 and 4 in Cervanoda and a new NPP.
Polls show increasing acceptance of nuclear energy and disposal as the solution for radioactive
waste management.
The main and major challenge in Romania with regard to waste management is the construction of
a near surface facility for LLW in Saligny near Cernavoda NPP to be commissioned in 2014.
According to the Government, the national strategy for geological disposal is to develop a repository
to be operated in 2055, a faraway horizon.
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