Germany's current method of determining a site for a final repository for nuclear waste is out of date under international standards. At the close of the Final Repository Symposium hosted by Federal Environment Minister Sigmar Gabriel in Berlin, it was clear that it is now standard practice in our neighbouring countries to conduct reviews of several sites in accordance with previously defined criteria. Compared to the procedures used by our neighbours and to the scope of the problem which we as a society must solve, public participation as prescribed in the Atomic Energy Act is completely inadequate. "Unless we have an open selection procedure with no predetermined outcome, but with plenty of opportunities for the public concerned to be actively involved, there can be no fresh start and consequently no acceptance of a final repository site," stated Professor Ortwin Renn of the University of Stuttgart.
Many participants stressed that the decision on the further use of nuclear power will have a decisive influence on the acceptance of a final repository. A prerequisite for achieving consensus on final disposal within society is that the agreed phase-out of nuclear power is not challenged.
All scientific and technical conditions for a review of alternatives have been prepared. At the Symposium, in addition to the site selection criteria published in 2002 by the Working Group Final Repository (Endlager AkEnd), there was also, for the first time, a public discussion on the safety criteria envisaged for the final safety assessment. It became clear that the final repository must be monitored for a specified period after sealing, and that it must be possible to react to unforeseen events.
More than the 350 expected participants attended the Symposium. Wolfgang Renneberg, Director-General for Nuclear Safety in the BMU said "we will continue the dialogue we have commenced with all stakeholders and parties concerned. The results of the Symposium provide plenty of starting points and are an excellent basis for the dialogue."