Information for neighbouring states
BASE is using this webpage to provide a brief summary of the procedure and outline the most important stakeholders and cross-border involvement opportunities for representatives from Germany's neighbouring countries.
Contents
The procedure
Stakeholders
Public participation
The current state of the procedure
More information
The search for a disposal site for high-level radioactive waste in Germany started in 2017 when the extended Site Selection Act became law. The procedure reached an initial milestone on 28 September 2020: the company commissioned to perform the search, Bundesgesellschaft für Endlagerung mbH, (the Federal Company for Radioactive Waste Disposal or BGE mbH) published an interim report on its work. This does not yet determine which areas should be explored in greater detail. The report will be discussed during the Sub-areas Conference, to which local authority representatives from the affected areas, scientists, representatives of social organisations and the general public will be invited.
The procedure
The site selection procedure starts with a “white map”. This means that all the German federal states and regions are included in the search. Sites are excluded, assessed and compared until the site with the best possible safety for a repository for the high-level radioactive waste remains at the end.
During the first phase, BGE mbH has gathered available geological data from all over Germany and is assessing this according to criteria laid down by law. They include exclusion criteria like the risk of seismic or volcanic activity or damage to the bedrock caused by mining. Special minimum requirements also apply: for example, 300 metres of rock should separate the disposal site from the earth’s surface and it must be surrounded by a sufficiently strong layer of crystalline rock, (e.g. granite), salt or clay.
At the end of the first phase, BGE mbH will send a suggestion to BASE regarding site regions needing to be explored above ground. BASE will examine the suggestion and forward its recommendation to the German government. The elected representatives in the German parliament will then decide which regions should be explored.
During the second phase, BGE mbH will explore the bedrock through exploratory drilling and seismic measurements. As a result, BGE mbH will obtain a precise picture of the geology. It will suggest sites for underground exploration. BASE will also examine this suggestion, but parliament will make the final decision.
During the third phase, at least two sites will be explored underground. BGE mbH will suggest a site based on a comparison of the locations that have been explored. BASE will assess the results of the exploration work and from the participation process and will suggest the safest location for a disposal site. The German parliament will make the final decision about the site by passing a law.
Stakeholders
Public participation
Involving the general public is a major prerequisite for making the search for a disposal site comprehensible and transparent. Parliament has therefore established far-reaching opportunities for participation and BASE is responsible for implementing them. For example, the Site Selection Act stipulates various committees and formats during the complete procedure so that the general public can be continually involved in the search for a disposal site. There is no comparable infrastructure project in Germany that envisages this kind of extensive public participation.
A summary of the formats for public participation laid down in law
Participation opportunities for neighbouring countries
The site selection procedure envisages participation opportunities for neighbouring countries, too. They particularly start when regional conferences are set up at the end of phase one. The regional conferences are the most important participation forum during the site selection procedure.
BASE will organise regional conferences in each of the site regions suggested for above-ground exploration. They will consist of a plenary session and a group of representatives. The latter will be elected by the plenary session and will consist of members of the general public, representatives of local regional authorities (e.g. municipalities) and social groups (e.g. environmental associations), each providing one third of the members. The regional conferences will accompany the site selection procedure, can request scientific advice, provide opportunities to make comments and inform the regional public. If the regional conferences cast any doubts on BGE’s exploratory results, they may demand a review. Once a region has been withdrawn from the selection procedure, the associated regional conference will be disbanded.
If a site region borders on another country, the interests of the general public there must be considered to an equal degree. In these cases, the rules of procedure for the relevant regional conferences will determine how the neighbouring country should be involved. This includes the possibility of appointing representatives from the neighbouring country to the group of representatives for the regional conference. They may be representatives of state institutions, members of the public or members of social organisations.
Representatives from Germany's neighbouring countries will also have the opportunity of becoming involved in the comments procedures, which will at least be available regarding the suggestion for the site regions needing to be explored above ground at the end of phase one, the suggestion for sites needing to be explored underground at the end of phase two and the suggestion for the disposal site.
An environmental impact assessment will also be conducted after the decision regarding the disposal site has been made as part of setting it up. If the site is close to a national border, this assessment will be performed internationally according to the Aarhus Convention. BASE will be responsible for conducting this and also involving the population near the border.
| BASE launched the “HErüber” research project in July 2020. The aim is to work out the specific requirements and success factors for cross-border formal and informal procedures for public participation and transfer them to the specific search for a disposal site. You can find more information on the research project here. |
The current state of the procedure
The publication of the interim report and its discussions at the Sub-areas Conference represent a first stage within phase one. Based on the results of these discussions and after applying further criteria, BGE mbH will draw up a suggestion for site regions needing to be explored above ground during the further course of phase one.
The Sub-areas Interim Report – an initial progress report
BGE mbH published its first progress statement through the Sub-areas Interim Report on 28 September 2020. It names those areas in Germany that should be eliminated from the process after applying the exclusion criteria, because they are not suitable for disposing of high-level radioactive waste. It also names the regions that are expected to have favourable geological conditions after applying the minimum requirements and the geoscientific consideration criteria (so-called Sub-areas) and should therefore continue to be considered for the time being.
The interim report does not represent a final decision about which areas should continue to be explored. This will not happen until the German parliament makes its decision at the end of the first phase of the search procedure.
BGE mbH is planning an English translation of the interim report and this will be available shortly after its publication. An English summary of the interim report can be found here. You will find detailed information on the interim report on select areas and an interactive map with all the select areas at the BGE mbH website. |
The Sub-areas Conference – a platform to discuss the interim report
The Sub-areas Conference is the platform where all interested parties were able to discuss and debate the interim results with BGE mbH. It began with an opening meeting on 17 - 18 October 2020, which is designed to provide all those involved with the same information. Three subsequent discussion dates in February, June and August 2021 were used to discuss the interim report.
The Sub-areas Conference was geared towards representatives of regional authorities in the select areas, members of the public, scientists and representatives of social organisations. It allowed people to become involved at an early stage before a decision is made about areas requiring further exploration. BGE mbH will take the results of the discussions at the conference into consideration in its ongoing work.
| You can find all the information about the conference at the theme page Fachkonferenz. |