DISPOSAL OF RADIOACTIVE-WASTE IN SWITZERL AND

The Swiss waste management concept foresees geological disposal for al l categories of radioactive waste. Two repositories are planned, one f or short-lived low- and intermediate-level wastes (L/ILW), and one for high-level waste and long-lived intermediate-level waste (HLW/TRU) or spent fuel elements. The Wellenberg in Central Switzerland was propos ed as the sire for the L/ILW repository. The licensing procedure, whic h is specified by atomic legislation, was initiated in 1994 but recent ly suffered a setback in the form of a negative decision by the voters at cantonal level. In Northern Switzerland, the crystalline basement and the sedimentary formation Opalinus Clay are being investigated as potential host locks for the repository for HLW/TRU. This repository w ill be required from the year 2020 at the earliest, which means that t he centralised interim storage facility for spent fuel and high-level waste from reprocessing will play an important role in the overall was te management programme. Construction of this facility at Wurenlingen is planned to begin in 1996. The considerable advances made on the tec hnical level can be contrasted with the problems being encountered in actually achieving waste management goals; these apply in particular t o licensing procedures and public acceptance of disposal projects.