PR:Geological Disposal Facility as the Only Solution for the Radioactive Waste from the Dukovany and Temelín NPPs? The Public Strategic Environmental Assessment for the Concept of Radioactive Waste and Spent Fuel Management has just started

=> CZECH version of this press release

Press Release dated November 23, 2015 http://calla.cz/index.php?path=hl_stranka/tiskovky/2015&php=tz151123.php

Geological Disposal Facility as the Only Solution for the Radioactive Waste from the Dukovany and Temelín NPPs?
The Public Strategic Environmental Assessment for the Concept of Radioactive Waste and Spent Fuel Management has just started

'''České Budějovice - Long-term storage, local geological disposal facility (GDF), the international GDF or perhaps reprocessing of spent fuel (SF) abroad? There is no perfect and smooth solution for storage of thousands of tonnes of SF from the Dukovany and Temelín NPPs, which remain dangerous for hundreds of thousands of years. However, the choice should be properly justified, discussed and a consensus in society should be achieved. A public SEA procedure on the "Updated Concept of Radioactive Waste and Spent Fuel Management" that has just been launched is giving us this opportunity.'''

In the next twenty days, everyone can submit a statement to the Ministry of the Environment on what options of dealing with radioactive waste should be considered and what specific impacts on the environment and public health should be evaluated. Next year, these statements should be presented to the public for further discussion in a prepared report.

Persistent focus of the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MPO) and the Radioactive Waste Repository Authority (RAWRA/SÚRAO) on one single option - to find a final site for the deep geological repository in the Czech Republic by 2025 and commissioning of the repository in 2065 – is leading to a severe and for many years continuous dispute between the state and citizens and dozens of municipalities, whose opinion is not respected. The State’s forceful approach caused that municipalities and associations filed lawsuits against determining exploration area for GDF in all seven potential selected sites. Despite these lawsuits, geological surveys are going to be carried out in 2016.

Missing alternatives for Radioactive Waste Management (RWM) were one of the reasons why the currently valid Concept, which was adopted by the government in 2002 as the first conceptual government document, received a dissenting opinion from the Ministry of the Environment at the end of SEA procedure (i.e. in the process which continues now).

Edvard Sequens of Calla said: "There is no good solution to the problem of nuclear waste, therefore planning next new reactors and thousands of tons of spent fuel is irresponsible to future generations."

"Today’s mismanaged search for GDF should be terminated. The solution to the nuclear waste which poses risks that will persist forever, should be built on the wide social consensus and not on today's promotion of past technocratic ideas."

'''The aim of the project "For Stronger Voice of Residents of the Highlands in Search of a High-Level Radioactive Waste Repository" is to strengthen the position of inhabitants of the municipalities in the process of site selection. The options for mayors and the public to defend their interests are very limited and do not meet the requirements for effective participation as it is understood by modern European approach.'''

 For more information please contact: 
 * Edvard Sequens, email: [mailto:edvardDOTsequensATcallaDOTcz edvard DOT sequens AT calla DOT cz], tel.: +420 602 282 399

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