scholarly journals Justice in dealing with highly radioactive waste – an empirical perspective

2021 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
pp. 201-202
Author(s):  
Lucas Schwarz
Keyword(s):  
Radioactive Waste ◽  
Site Selection ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Selection Process ◽  
Theoretical Perspective ◽  
Drop Out ◽  
Federal Republic Of Germany ◽  
High Level Radioactive Waste ◽  
Empirical Survey ◽  
High Level

Abstract. The introduction of the Site Selection Act (Standortauswahlgesetz, StandAG) marked the initiation of a new repository site-selection process as well as the elimination of injustices of past procedures. In this context, the white map of Germany served as a basis for and symbol of an unbiased search process (Hocke and Smeddinck, 2017). However, the publication of the Sub-Areas Interim Report has revealed injustices in the handling of high-level radioactive waste. For example, there is criticism that the methods used to determine the sub-areas are immature or scientifically dubious. There are still fears that rural areas with a low population density will be favored, that there are imbalances in the site-selection process between West and East Germany, or that the discrepancy in the sense of fairness between regions that drop out of the process and those that remain will lead to problems in subsequent stages of the process. All of these positions show that there is inherent injustice in the search for a repository site: at the end of the site-selection process, a single site will receive all the high-level radioactive waste of the Federal Republic of Germany and thus bear the potential risks. People at this one site will live with the uncertainties associated with dealing with high-level radioactive waste. While the debate about geological or technical factors and challenges is multifaceted and specialized, the issue of fairness in the site-selection process is rarely addressed. However, fairness is immensely important to find a socially acceptable repository site. This paper thus focuses on the following questions: What are the prevailing notions of justice among those involved in the repository site-selection process? From the perspective of the involved parties, what characterizes fairness in the site-selection process? Answering these questions should contribute to a better understanding of whether the repository site-selection process is perceived as just, and what this depends on. Starting from Rawls' theoretical perspective of justice (2005 [1971]) and Latour's contribution of the values of modern people (2014), an empirical understanding of the stakeholders' perception and understanding of justice in the site-selection process is synthesized. In the context of this work, results of an empirical survey comparing different aspects of justice, e.g., procedural, distributive, intergenerational, and interpersonal, but also justice as recognition, are presented and related to adjacent factors, such as trust, emotions, or experiences. The empirical survey is intended to provide information on whether the perception of justice is more strongly dependent on the process, on one's own affectedness, or on adjacent factors.

scholarly journals Status of Deep Borehole Disposal of High-Level Radioactive Waste in Germany

Energies ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (13) ◽  
pp. 2580 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guido Bracke ◽  
Wolfram Kudla ◽  
Tino Rosenzweig
Keyword(s):  
Radioactive Waste ◽  
Site Selection ◽  
Real Option ◽  
Selection Process ◽  
Technical Equipment ◽  
Deep Borehole ◽  
Final Disposal ◽  
High Level Radioactive Waste ◽  
High Level ◽  
A Site

The phase-out of nuclear energy in Germany will take place in 2022. A site for final disposal of high-level radioactive waste (HLRW) has not yet been chosen, but a site selection process was restarted by the Site Selection Act in 2017. This Act was based on a recommendation by a commission which also advised to follow up the development of deep borehole disposal (DBD) as a possible option for final disposal of HLRW. This paper describes briefly the status of DBD in Germany and if this option is to be pursued in Germany. Although DBD has some merits, it can only be a real option if supported by research and development. The technical equipment for larger boreholes of the required size will only be developed if there is funding and a feasibility test. Furthermore, any DBD concept must be detailed further, and some requirements of the Act must be reconsidered. Therefore, the support of DBD will likely remain at a low level if there are no political changes.

Comparison of Publicity Materials Pertaining to the Selection of High Level Radioactive Waste Repository Sites

2010 ◽  
Author(s):  
Noriko Kanzaki ◽  
Koji Okamoto ◽  
Ryutaro Wada
Keyword(s):  
Radioactive Waste ◽  
Site Selection ◽  
Selection Process ◽  
Capital Management ◽  
Geological Disposal ◽  
High Level Radioactive Waste ◽  
Waste Repository ◽  
High Level ◽  
Hlw Repository ◽  
Selection Of

The high level radioactive waste was decided to the geological disposal in Japan. In addition, operating body and capital management body were decided. However, the place in the repository site has not been decided yet. The selection process in the waste repository is already advanced in Finland and Sweden. In England, some municipalities have expressed interest in HLW. The word used in publicity materials is analyzed, systems in each country are compared, and some good idea for Japanese HLW repository site selection process is studied.

scholarly journals Management of high-level radioactive waste in Germany: roads from storage towards disposal – need and options for action

2021 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
pp. 217-218
Author(s):  
Saleem Chaudry ◽  
Angelika Spieth-Achtnich ◽  
Wilhelm Bollingerfehr
Keyword(s):  
Radioactive Waste ◽  
Site Selection ◽  
Selection Process ◽  
Research Project ◽  
Final Disposal ◽  
High Level Radioactive Waste ◽  
The Road ◽  
High Level ◽  
Design Options ◽  
Interim Storage

Abstract. The road towards final disposal of high-level radioactive waste (HAW) produced in Germany requires extensive and foresighted management. To date, HAW has been stored in dual-purpose casks inside 15 interim storage facilities. Finally, it is disposed of in a deep geological repository. A site-selection process for this repository, taking into account the whole national territory, started in 2017. The road from interim storage to final disposal is not yet planned in detail: neither temporally nor spatially nor technically. Important parameters are still unknown. The last operating licenses of the existing interim storage facilities, originally built to last for up to 40 years, will end in 2047, and a concept for prolonged interim storage does not exist. The dates for the decision on the repository site and the start of its operation are plagued by uncertainties, as well as the development of safety concepts for different potential host rocks or knowledge on the long-time behavior of disused fuel assemblies during dry interim storage. According to the German site-selection law (Deutscher Bundestag, 2017) the siting decision for the final repository is planned to be made in 2031; Thomauske and Kudla (2016) drew up timelines for the site-selection process to end between 2059 and 2096. The research project WERA – Management of high-level radioactive waste in Germany: Roads from storage towards disposal – addressed these uncertainties through the development of different design options for the four main steps of the German road to disposal and of a variety of scenarios combining these steps, covering a broad range of potential future designs of the road to disposal. These scenarios have been analyzed in detail. Need for technical and political action along the road to final disposal has been identified. Options for action were named, and their preconditions and consequences were listed. The design options and the scenarios derived form the basis of societal discourse on the disposal of high-level radioactive waste. Thus, the research project WERA contributes toward the politically and societally active integration of the different disposal steps (interim storage, receiving storage facility, waste conditioning, and final disposal).

Towards best possible safety - Current regulatory research for the German site selection process for high-level radioactive waste disposal

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Axel Liebscher ◽  
Christoph Borkel ◽  
Ute Maurer-Rurack ◽  
Michael Jendras
Keyword(s):  
Radioactive Waste ◽  
Nuclear Waste ◽  
Site Selection ◽  
Selection Process ◽  
Active Faults ◽  
Radioactive Waste Disposal ◽  
High Level Radioactive Waste ◽  
Research Activities ◽  
Methodological Approaches ◽  
High Level

<p>The German Site Selection Act (Standortauswahlgesetz – StandAG) defines the search for and selection of the national German site with best possible safety for a disposal facility for high-level radioactive waste. The Federal Office for the Safety of Nuclear Waste Management (BASE) is the federal regulatory authority for radioactive waste disposal. BASE supervises the site selection process for a repository for high-level radioactive waste and is responsible for the accompanying public participation. To fulfill its tasks according to the state of science and technology, task related research forms an integral part of BASEs activities. Current research activities in the context of the site selection process address geoscientific questions, methodological aspects of the implementation of the site selection process, and public participation aspects. This contribution provides an overview on the current geoscientific and methodological research activities of BASE.</p><p>According to § 16 StandAG , the national implementer (Bundesgesellschaft für Endlagerung  mbH) has to execute surface-based exploration and BASE has to review and define the respective exploration program. Therefore, the two projects <em>MessEr</em> and <em>übErStand</em> compiled state of science and technology with regard to surface based exploration methods. The foci were on methods suitable for addressing the criteria and requirements set out in the German Site Selection Act.</p><p>The project <em>KaStör</em> reviewed the current knowledge on active faults and fault zones in Germany and studied methodological approaches to date and identify the activity of faulting. The results support BASE to review the application of the exclusion criteria for areas with “active faults zones” according to § 22 (2) StandAG.</p><p>For the time being, § 27 (4) StandAG defines 100 °C as precautionary maximum temperature at the outer surface of waste canisters for all host rocks. The project <em>Grenztemperatur</em> compiled and studied the temperature dependency of the different THMC/B processes according to available FEP catalogues for rock salt, clay stone, and crystalline rock. The project also identified open and pending research questions and describes ways to define host rock specific maximum temperatures based on specific disposal and safety concepts.</p><p>During the site selection process, safety oriented weighting of different criteria and comparison of different potential regions and sites have to be performed. The project <em>MaBeSt</em> studied and reviewed methodological approaches to this weighting and comparison problem with special emphasis on multi criteria analysis (MCA) and multi criteria decision analysis (MCDA).</p><p>Key requirement for safe geological disposal of nuclear waste is barrier integrity. The project <em>PeTroS</em> experimentally studied potential percolation mechanisms of fluids within rock salt at isotropic conditions at disposal relevant pressures and temperatures.</p>

scholarly journals Public opinion in the site selection process: survey methodologies

2021 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
pp. 305-306
Author(s):  
Sebastian Götte ◽  
Roman Seidl ◽  
Ariane Breyer ◽  
Zoë Felder
Keyword(s):  
Radioactive Waste ◽  
Site Selection ◽  
Nuclear Energy ◽  
Selection Process ◽  
The Body ◽  
German Population ◽  
Research Association ◽  
Final Disposal ◽  
High Level Radioactive Waste ◽  
High Level

Abstract. The aim of the site selection process (StandAV) is to find the repository site for high-level radioactive waste with the best possible safety. Transparency and public involvement contribute to ensuring that the outcome of the site selection process is “supported by a broad consensus in society and can thus also be tolerated by those affected” (StandAG § 5 para. 1). In order for the public to be suitably informed and involved, BASE (Federal Office for the Safety of Nuclear Waste Management), in particular, as the body responsible for public participation, must base its work on the knowledge, attitudes and needs of the German population. In order to gain the respective knowledge, the company aproxima Gesellschaft für Markt- und Sozialforschung Weimar mbH was commissioned to conduct a repetitive representative survey (research project EWident). The study briefly deals with nuclear energy in general, but mainly focuses on questions related to the topic of final disposal (knowledge of the topic and especially the StandAV, interest in information and involvement, relevance of particular questions in the process, etc.). The first survey took place in summer 2020. A special focus was placed on the younger generation (14- to 29-year-olds). The results can be viewed on the BASE website (Götte and Ludewig, 2020). They show that the level of knowledge about and interest in StandAV are still rather feeble; at the same time, it is clear that questions of safety are a central driver for accepting a possible site in one's own region. A second survey is planned for autumn 2021. A comparably broadly drawn survey has not been carried out in recent years. However, the fact that the topic of final disposal is becoming increasingly important is shown by thematically related surveys that ask about attitudes towards nuclear energy or examine particular aspects of StandAV in more detail. Within the framework of the TRANSENS research association (Transdisciplinary Research on the Management of High-Level Radioactive Waste in Germany), for example, trust and confidence in the context of the site selection process were surveyed. The 60 min workshop is aimed at interested parties and researchers who would like to contribute their own experiences with related surveys. In the workshop we provide three incentives. aproxima introduces the methods and key results of EWident's first survey. BASE gives an insight into the practical use of these results. Roman Seidl of Leibniz University Hannover reports the results of the TRANSENS survey. Subsequently, we would like to discuss the following questions, among others, with the participants in the workshop. What is remarkable about the results? Do they differ from other StandAV surveys and experiences, and if so, how? How can this be explained? What further research needs can be identified? With what approaches could they be met?

Significance of long-term climate evolution and associated impacts on the long-term safety of a high-level radioactive waste repository within the German siting process

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marc Wengler ◽  
Astrid Göbel ◽  
Eva-Maria Hoyer ◽  
Axel Liebscher ◽  
Sönke Reiche ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Radioactive Waste ◽  
Site Selection ◽  
Phase 1 ◽  
High Level Radioactive Waste ◽  
Safety Requirements ◽  
Climate Evolution ◽  
Safety Assessments ◽  
High Level ◽  
Host Rocks

<p>According to the 'Act on the Organizational Restructuring in the Field of Radioactive Waste Disposal' the BGE was established in 2016. The amended 'Repository Site Selection Act' (StandAG) came into force in July 2017 and forms the base for the site selection by clearly defining the procedure. According to the StandAG the BGE implements the participative, science-based, transparent, self-questioning and learning procedure with the overarching aim to identify the site for a high-level radioactive waste (HLW) repository in a deep geological formation with best possible safety conditions for a period of one million years.</p><p>The German site selection procedure consists of three phases, of which Phase 1 is divided into two steps. Starting with a blanc map of Germany, the BGE completed Step 1 in September 2020 and identified 90 individual sub-areas that provide favorable geological conditions for the safe disposal of HLW in the legally considered host rocks; rock salt, clay and crystalline rock. Based on the results of Step 1, the on-going Step 2 will narrow down these sub-areas to siting regions for surface exploration within Phase 2 (§ 14 StandAG). Central to the siting process are representative (Phase 1), evolved (Phase 2) and comprehensive (Phase 3) preliminary safety assessments according to § 27 StandAG.</p><p>The ordinances on 'Safety Requirements' and 'Preliminary Safety Assessments' for the disposal of high-level radioactive waste from October 2020 regulate the implementation of the preliminary safety assessments within the different phases of the siting process. Section 2 of the 'Safety Requirements' ordinance provides requirements to evaluate the long-term safety of the repository system; amongst others, it states that all potential effects that may affect the long-term safety of the repository system need to be systematically identified, described and evaluated as “expected” or “divergent” evolutions. Additionally, the ordinance on 'Preliminary Safety Assessments' states in § 7, amongst others, that the geoscientific long-term prediction is a tool to identify and to evaluate geogenic processes and to infer “expected” and “divergent” evolutions from those. Hence, considering the time period of one million years for the safe disposal of the HLW and the legal requirements, it is essential to include long-term climate evolution in the German site selection process to evaluate the impact of various climate-related scenarios on the safety of the whole repository system.</p><p>To better understand and evaluate the influence of climate-related processes on the long-term safety of a HLW repository, climate-related research will be a part of the BGE research agenda. Potential research needs may address i) processes occurring on glacial – interglacial timescales (e.g. the inception of the next glaciation, formation and depth of permafrost, glacial troughs, sub-glacial channels, sea-level rise, orbital forcing) and their future evolutions, ii) effects on the host rocks and the barrier system(s) as well as iii) the uncertainties related to these effects but also to general climate models and predictions.</p>

State of the scientific and technical knowledge about limiting temperatures in the Repository Site Selection process of Germany with simultaneous consideration to Europe and other European repository concepts

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ute Maurer-Rurack ◽  
Axel Liebscher ◽  
Fabien Magri
Keyword(s):  
Outer Surface ◽  
Site Selection ◽  
Selection Process ◽  
Temperature Limit ◽  
Crystalline Rock ◽  
Technical Knowledge ◽  
Federal Republic Of Germany ◽  
Regulatory Frameworks ◽  
High Level ◽  
Limiting Temperatures

<p>The Federal Republic of Germany has decided to dispose its high-level radioactive waste in deep geological formations. Three types of host rock are considered: rock salt, clay rock and crystalline rock. The Site Selection Act (StandAG<sup>1</sup>), which came into effect on the 16<sup>th</sup> of May 2017, defines the successive steps of the repository siting process, which has to ensure the best possible safety conditions for a period of one million years. Based on precaution considerations, the StandAG (§27 (4) StandAG) sets a preliminary temperature limit of 100°C at the outer surface of a repository container for the preliminary safety assessment.</p><p>This contribution provides an overview about the state of the scientific and technical knowledge on the limiting temperatures in the repository site selection process of Germany. It also illustrates the different treatments of the definition of temperature limits within other European siting processes. The findings highlight that, in Europe, the proposed criteria which consider temperature at the outer surface of a repository container get more and more into focus of research and discussion especially for the three different types of host rocks.</p><p>After presenting the national regulatory frameworks, this contribution summarizes how the European countries address the different temperature related issues for their site selection, their repository concepts and how in turn these all can influence the German safety case strategy for the German site selection. Not at least, links to site selection criteria in other countries (e.g. USA, Japan, Russia) are provided.</p><p><strong>Reference</strong></p><p><sup>1</sup>  StandAG: Standortauswahlgesetz vom 5. Mai 2017 (BGBl. I S. 1074), das zuletzt durch Artikel 2 Absatz 16 des Gesetzes vom 20. Juli 2017 (BGBl. I S. 2808) geändert worden ist.</p>

scholarly journals Section 14 StandAG – Identification of siting regions and associated challenges

2021 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
pp. 49-50
Author(s):  
Lisa Seidel ◽  
Marc Wengler
Keyword(s):  
Radioactive Waste ◽  
Phase I ◽  
Site Selection ◽  
Selection Procedure ◽  
Radioactive Waste Disposal ◽  
Second Step ◽  
High Level Radioactive Waste ◽  
Surface Exploration ◽  
Safety Assessments ◽  
High Level

Abstract. With the publication of the subarea interim report on sub-regions on 28 September 2020, the Federal Company for Radioactive Waste Disposal (BGE), as the implementer of the German site selection procedure, has completed the first step of phase I in due time. The second step of phase I is the identification of siting regions for surface exploration. In the following step 2 of phase I, the determination of siting regions for surface exploration will be carried out based on the interim results of the first step of phase I in accordance with section 14 of the regulating law (StandAG). A central component of this second step of phase I is the representative preliminary safety assessments pursuant to section 27 StandAG, the ordinances on “Safety Requirements” (EndlSiAnfV) and “Preliminary Safety Assessments” (EndlSiUntV), which are carried out for each of the sub-regions. Based on the results of the preliminary safety assessments and the renewed application of the geoscientific weighting criteria (section 24 StandAG), siting regions will be identified that have the potential to become the site with the best possible safety for a repository for high-level radioactive waste. During the second step of phase I, the planning scientific consideration criteria (section 25 StandAG) can be applied for the first time. The path to the siting regions for surface exploration can be accompanied by various challenges related to geoscientific, methodological and also societal questions. For example, the application of the representative preliminary safety assessments may be more challenging in larger subareas compared to smaller ones as subsurface properties are likely to be more variable. In this context, areas with little data coverage for example, and the treatment of these areas in the procedure may pose another challenge. Therefore, sound methodological concepts must be developed for performing the representative preliminary safety assessments as well as for applying the geoscientific weighting criteria. Furthermore, the German site selection procedure defines special requirements (section 1 StandAG): the implementation of the participatory, science-based, transparent, self-questioning and learning procedure poses challenges to all stakeholders of the procedure on the way to the best possible disposal of high-level radioactive waste.

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