Two key steps were taken early this month to back research and development efforts on deep burial of high-level radioactive waste (HLW) and spent nuclear fuel in Europe.
The European Commission (EC) has called for proposals for in situ demonstration projects in underground repository laboratories under its “Fission” scheme, operated by the Euratom unit. Deadline for submission of proposals to the EC is April 2010.
Separately, this month, leading radioactive waste management organisations launched a document that aims to bring greater co-ordination, knowledge sharing and training for “geological disposal”, as deep burial has been termed.
Their ‘vision document’ aims to establish a “technology platform” to gain such systematic benefits among partners in Europe. As a result, they hope the effort will help co-ordinate the remaining R&D needed in Europe to help establish the world’s first deep repository.
Tunnel complexes as deep repository structures are being partly developed on-site in Finland or planned in Sweden and France.
The on-off progress with the long sought repository at Yucca Mountain in the US is out of political favour at present, but research work continues at a reduced level.
Research for a repository in Germany was started in a salt dome at Gorleben but politics led to a moratorium. However, the change of government in the federal election, in September, might lead to some changes.
Currently, the UK has no active research underway at a specifically favoured site for a repository.
The EC’s call for proposals is the fourth to be made under its current funding period but marks a strong push towards on-site implementation of concepts and technologies in deep repositories.
It is anticipated that about €12M (US$18M) will be made available by the EC for approved demonstration projects and other support work related to geological disposal. Matching funds may lead to the total budget for the repository research being double the EC’s indicative figure, as has happened with previous work on dealing with disposal of radioactive waste.
While the funding call centres on tunnel complexes as repository structures, separately there is some, albeit minority, interest in the alternative possibility of disposal in deep boreholes, approximately 3km-5km in depth.
The option was also raised among others at the “Nuclear Waste: The Challenge of Underground Storage and Disposal” conference, in London, this month which was organised by Progressive Media Group.
