ONDRAF recommends geological disposal of the waste

ONDRAF also rules out the possibility of depositing the waste in deep mines (which causes problems in the long-term) or permanent storage (considered to be unsafe in the long-term). It has also ruled out long-term storage while waiting for “another solution” (for example scientific developments in the treatment of nuclear waste) because this type of storage requires permanent management which it may not be possible to guarantee in the case of certain societal developments. The ONDRAF plan recommends that B and C category nuclear waste should be geologically disposed of in indurated clay which would serve as a natural barrier against its radioactive properties. In concrete terms, they would therefore be buried at a depth of 200 meters within layers of clay as in the experiment carried out at MOL. 

Given the important implications for society of decisions taken on the future of B and C category nuclear waste, ONDRAF has sought to involve the public in a participatory dialogue. A new report by the SPIRAL laboratory focuses on the way this dialogue has been implemented.  “Consultations with the public on the management of B and C category nuclear waste are linked to the experience of ONDRAF with regard to decisions that needed to be taken for the disposal of category A waste”, points out Céline Parotte, assistant lecturer in the political science department, and one of the authors of this report which was produced in partnership with researchers at the University of Antwerp. “Scientists determined that twenty communes, in particular, could serve as ideal locations for the above ground disposal of this low-radioactivity category of nuclear waste. ONDRAF sent letters to these twenty communes which were met with a categorical refusal by the communes concerned. ONDRAF then began consulting with the public by giving a clear explanation of the facts, making it possible to move the issue forward.  ONDRAF demonstrated its understanding of the importance of involving citizens in the process by also including sociologists and political scientists in the debate before adopting its plan for the disposal of B and C category nuclear waste”.          

In addition to legally-required public consultation (which gave rise to more than 2,700 opinions and valid observations), ONDRAF consulted the public by means of eight participatory dialogues, an interdisciplinary conference and a citizens’ conference in 2009. “The call for participatory dialogue with citizens was set in motion by the media in particular”, explains Céline Parotte. “Everyone could come to Brussels for a day to discuss the issue of nuclear waste disposal with the specialists. The poor level of attendance at these meetings encouraged ONDRAF to organize a citizens’ conference: 31 citizens representing the public met during three weekends, the first two of which were devoted to information on the subject and the third to a debate with the experts. The organization of the citizens’ conference was entrusted to an independent organization which already had some experience in this area of activity (the King Baudouin Foundation). The involvement of this panel of 31 citizens was much more productive than the participatory dialogues because they only lasted for one day”.