The 6th Essen expert discussion on mining waste disposal sites took place on 9th March at DMT GmbH & Co. KG in Essen/Germany and focussed entirely on the forth-coming legal and organisational changes relating to the disposal and permanent storage of radioactive waste. One key topic was the challenges faced by the industry in terms of transferring existing expertise into new structures, the upcoming start of the “site selection process” centennial project and developments in other countries.
After the presentation of a final report compiled by the “Kommission Lagerung hoch radioaktiver Abfallstoffe” (Commission on the storage of highly radioactive waste materials) in July 2016, 2017 is being shaped by the legal implementation of the commission‘s recommendations, as well as by fundamental changes to the organisational structure in the disposal of radioactive waste. The new Bundesgesellschaft für Endlagerung (BGE) is a federally owned permanent storage company, which is to be merged with the current DBE mbH, Asse GmbH and the operator parts of the Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS). Expertise has to be pooled in time to start the “site selection process” project and the Federal Office for the Safety of Nuclear Waste Management (BfE) has to be established as the new supervisory body.
In view of these fundamental shifts in responsibility, the transfer of expertise will be a significant challenge over the coming years. Exchanging information and experience took centre stage at the 6th Essen expert discussion on mining waste disposal sites, to which around 150 specialists from the industry, research and public authorities accepted their invitation from DMT, GNS Gesellschaft für Nuklear-Service mbH and DBE TECHNOLOGY GmbH.
Another expert discussion on mining waste disposal sites is due to take place in Essen next year. The seventh edition of the event is due to take place on 1st March. (DMT, Si.)
