Radioactive waste management policies in seven industrialized democracies

• Published in: Geoforum 1987, Vol.18 (4), p.415-431
• Main Authors: Solomon, Barry D., Shelley, Fred M., Pasoualetti, Martin J., Murauskas, G.Tomas
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Bgi / Prodig; Human geography; Political and economic geography; Pollution and nuisances; Radioactive waste; Waste management
• ISSN: 0016-7185; 1872-9398
• DOI: 10.1016/0016-7185(87)90031-5

This paper provides an inventory of radioactive waste management policies in seven industrialized democracies: the U.S., France, Japan, West Germany, Canada, the U.K. and Sweden. Collectively, these countries account for almost 75% of the world's installed nuclear power capacity and over 61% of its spentfuel production. Special emphasis is given to siting procedures for both high- and low-/intermediate-level waste repositories. Although several low-level repositories are operating or under construction, only West Germany has selected a site for high-level waste disposal, at Gorleben. It is expected that siting decisions will be highly conflict-laden in each country except for pro-nuclear France. The procedures for resolving potential siting conflicts are briefly reviewed. Sweden's strategy of siting its low-level repository near Forsmark offshore beneath the Baltic seabed minimizes conflict and may become attractive to other nations. Also, transnational agreements may eventually be sought as radioactive waste disposal is an international problem. This paper concludes with a comparative discussion of siting policies and their potential impacts.