Germany's search for a nuclear waste site

Hardly any environmental and political challenge is as complex as the disposal of radioactive waste from nuclear power plants. In almost all of the world's nuclear-powered nations — some 31 countries currently operate or once operated nuclear power plants — the issue remains largely unresolved, despite the fact that the first large-scale nuclear power plant went online in the Soviet Union in 1954.

Finland recently became the first country in the world to approve a repository for radioactive nuclear waste. Located 400 meters underground on an island in western Finland, it is situated at the site of one of the country's two nuclear power plants. The project took around 40 years to complete.

Germany's search underway for ten years

Yet in every other country, including Germany, the problem remains unresolved. To make an everyday analogy: The garbage has already been placed outside for collection, but the garbage truck has not yet arrived. There is simply no landfill to take it to. It is not a pleasant sight, yet hardly anyone wants to live near such a site.

Germany has made some progress: The specially established Federal Company for Radioactive Waste Disposal (BGE) has now been searching for a suitable site for almost ten years, one that, like the Finnish repository, would be located deep underground.

Most experts have long agreed on one point: Nuclear waste, especially the spent fuel elements from nuclear power plants, which will remain radioactive for many thousands of years, must be stored underground.

The toll of nuclear power on generations to come

Only 5% of Germany's territory remains under consideration

Germany hopes to identify a site for a final repository by 2050. But that is still a long way off, which is why Environment Minister Carsten Schneider of the center-left Social Democratic Party (SPD) wants to examine whether the search process can be accelerated.

And, the government says, at least there is a roadmap in place. "Russia, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Japan have not yet advanced their procedures as far as we have," ministry spokesperson, Stephan Gabriel Haufe, said at a regular government press conference this week. "Finland is certainly the country making the fastest progress worldwide. But Germany is among the leading countries."

This week, the BGE announced that only 5% of Germany's land area, spread across 11 of the country's 16 states, remains under consideration as a potential site for a final repository. The agency is consulting geologists, nuclear experts, and physicists, as well as citizens and politicians. What is already clear, is that the nuclear waste generated during decades of nuclear power production will remain in Germany.

Germany has phased out nuclear power

Most of the waste is currently stored at or near the sites where it was generated. These include the 19 former nuclear power plants currently being decommissioned, as well as several research facilities.

In 2011, following the reactor disaster in Fukushima, Japan, Germany decided to phase out the commercial use of nuclear energy, and the last nuclear power plant was shut down in 2023. The waste, however, remains in interim storage.

"It must be shown that a repository will remain safe over a very long period of time," said BGE spokesperson Dagmar Dehmer. "In Finland, that means 100,000 years; in Germany, Switzerland, and France, one million years. But no matter how far into the future scientists project, the effort involved is enormous. It requires a detailed analysis of developments over time, the interactions between geology and technology, and the decay of radionuclides, as well as an assessment of how these factors affect safety."

400 meters underground, protected by a rock barrier

The procedure is indeed complex: First, potential sites are evaluated for their geological suitability. Will the rock formation remain stable at a depth of 400 meters? Could groundwater become contaminated? The goal is to identify a location where the repository would be surrounded by a rock layer around 100 meters thick, providing a natural barrier. Suitable geological formations include layers of clay, granite, and rock salt.

As the requirements become progressively stricter, fewer and fewer potential sites remain under consideration. Other factors, such as proximity to major cities, come into play only much later in the process. Few communities are likely to welcome a repository for radioactive waste, whether in an urban area or in the countryside.

Dehmer: 'Finland has great trust in government action'

Building and maintaining trust is also part of Dehmer's job. She often has to explain why it is important to deal with the legacy of the nuclear age, regardless of where people stand on nuclear energy.

Finland has succeeded in doing so, Dehmer believes. "There is a high level of trust in government action in Finland," she said. "The country's supervisory and licensing authority, STUK, is one of its most respected institutions. Germany can learn from Finland by remaining consistent, avoiding frequent changes in direction, and demonstrating the patience needed to achieve a successful outcome."

The disposal of nuclear waste is extremely expensive. Even today, the search for a final repository and the storage of nuclear waste at former reactor sites cost around €1.4 billion ($1.6 billion) per year.

Experts estimate that the final repository itself will cost roughly €14 billion ($16.4 billion) once completed. If all goes according to plan, 28,000 cubic meters of radioactive waste will eventually be stored deep underground on a permanent basis.