In a study published in January 2023, Jinshan Pan, a professor of corrosion science at KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Sweden, along with his colleagues, addressed the potential risk of sulfides in groundwater leading to corrosion of copper used in containers for spent nuclear fuel. The research emphasizes the need for further exploration into the nature and chemistry of the surface films that form on copper surfaces under repository conditions.
While Posiva Oy may soon have the first operational nuclear waste repository, other nations are following suit. Sweden is preparing to construct its own repository, designed to house up to 12,000 metric tons of spent nuclear fuel from the country. This project, involving a complex network of tunnels extending 60 kilometers and reaching a depth of 500 meters, has been in planning for 40 years. Recently, it received the necessary permits to proceed, with construction potentially beginning within the decade and continuing until the 2080s. However, an appeal by the Office for Nuclear Waste Review, a Swedish NGO, could delay or halt development. Similar to the Finnish project, concerns about the Swedish repository focus on the risk of copper canister corrosion, which may result in the release of radioactive elements into the groundwater.
Across the Atlantic, Canada is also in the process of planning a nuclear waste storage facility. Although the repository does not yet exist, the path forward seems clear of legal obstacles. After 14 years of discussions, a site has been selected within the Township of Ignace, Ontario, part of the Wabigoon Lake Ojibway Nation. Both the local town and the indigenous community have welcomed the project, viewing it as a source of investment and employment opportunities.
In Europe, France and Switzerland are making progress on their own projects, though they often face bureaucratic challenges. In northeastern France’s Meuse region, the Cigéo project may commence fieldwork in 2027, having received a positive feasibility assessment. Andra, the implementing agency, is authorized to proceed, provided it addresses the potential impacts of climate change on aboveground structures.
Switzerland’s national radioactive-waste-disposal cooperative, Nagra, took 14 years to select a site for its repository, settling on Nördlich Lägern, north of Zurich. The area is abundant in compact opaline clay, regarded as an ideal long-term containment material for radioactive waste. Final approval for the site is anticipated around 2030, contingent on a referendum, with operations slated to begin by 2060.
Italy is evaluating 51 potential sites for a nuclear waste repository. These plans, initially conceived in 2015 and made public in December 2023, are undergoing revision to accept new applications. Currently, radioactive waste in Italy is stored temporarily at decommissioned nuclear power plant sites, nuclear research facilities, and locations related to nuclear medicine and industry.
The original article appeared in WIRED Italia and was translated from Italian.
