The management and storage of radioactive waste are governed by the provisions of the Nuclear Energy Act and the Nuclear Energy Ordinance. The Act stipulates the main requirements, one of which is that radioactive waste must be disposed of so that the long-term safety of human beings and the environment can be assured. It also stipulates that radioactive waste that is produced in Switzerland must be disposed of in a deep geological repository here. The Ordinance regulates the enforcement of the provisions of the Act. For example, it stipulates that the federal government must regulate the site selection procedure in a sectoral plan. It also specifies the applicable safety requirements for a deep geological repository.
FAQ
Who owns radioactive waste (both before and after it has been sealed in a storage facility)?
As long as a storage facility is not sealed, the waste materials contained in it remain the property of the user (nuclear power plant operator and federal government). These parties are legally obliged to dispose of radioactive waste safely at their own expense. To this end, in 1972, Swiss nuclear power plant operators and the federal government established the National Cooperative for the Disposal of Radioactive Waste (Nagra), entrusting it with the task of the safe disposal of radioactive waste.
After a site has been sealed or upon expiry of the additional observation period, the Federal Council must declare that the site is no longer subject to the provisions of Swiss nuclear energy legislation. Only at this point is full responsibility transferred to the federal government. In the event of the retrieval of stored waste materials (e.g. spent fuel elements), funding becomes the responsibility of the economic beneficiary.
Is importing or exporting radioactive waste prohibited?
The Radiological Protection Act (RPA) and the Nuclear Energy Act stipulate that in principle all radioactive waste must be disposed of in Switzerland. Exceptions, meaning disposal abroad, are possible under certain conditions. The export of spent nuclear fuels for the purpose of reprocessing is, however, forbidden. All states with an advanced disposal programme have enacted laws that prohibit the import of radioactive waste from abroad. There is therefore no possibility for Switzerland to participate in a foreign waste-disposal project, which means that those who produce radioactive waste in Switzerland must push ahead with disposal projects within the country.
Last modification 07.11.2024
