After nearly 50 years of searching for the best way to store its radioactive waste, Switzerland is preparing for the “project of the century,” which involves burying spent nuclear fuel deep underground in clay. The agency responsible for handling the country’s radioactive waste said on Saturday it had decided the Nördlich Lägern site was the best of three sites it was considering for the underground storage facility. Officials “selected Nördlich Lägern as the safest location for a deep geological repository,” Felix Glauser, a spokesman for the National Association for the Disposal of Radioactive Waste (Nagra), told AFP in an email, confirming a Swiss news agency report. Keystone. – ATS. “Extensive investigations have shown that Nördlich Lägern is the most suitable location and has the largest safety reserves,” he added. Nagra has informed the local population directly and is expected to present its proposal to the Swiss government on Monday, Keystone-ATS reported. The Swiss government is not due to make a final decision until 2029, but that is unlikely to be the last word, as the matter will likely go to a referendum under Switzerland’s system of direct democracy. Swiss nuclear power plants have been pumping out radioactive waste for more than half a century. After the 2011 nuclear accident at the Fukushima power plant in Japan, Switzerland decided to phase out nuclear power: its reactors can continue as long as they remain safe. Currently, the waste is stored in an interim warehouse in Würenlingen, 9.3 miles (15 kilometers) from the German border. With the new facility, Switzerland hopes to join an elite club of countries approaching deep geological storage. So far only Finland has built a site, in granite. Sweden gave the green light in January to build its own site to bury spent nuclear fuel in granite. France also has plans to store radioactive waste underground in clay. Archie Bland and Nimo Omer take you to the top stories and what they mean, free every weekday morning Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain information about charities, online advertising and content sponsored by external parties. For more information, see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and Google’s Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. In Switzerland, an estimated 83,000 cubic meters of radioactive waste, including some high-level waste, will have to be buried. This volume corresponds to the 60 years of the Beznau, Gosgen and Leibstadt nuclear power plants and the 47 years of operation of the Muhleberg before it was closed in 2019. Filling of the underground nuclear waste graves will begin by 2060, followed by several decades of close monitoring. The site will be sealed sometime in the 22nd century.
