Swiss federal authorities
Swiss Federal Nuclear Safety Inspectorate ENSI
The sectoral plan for deep geological repositories describes the site selection procedure for the deep repositories required in Switzerland. The procedure is under the direction of the Swiss Federal Office for Energy (SFOE) and is divided into 3 stages.
At the time Switzerland embarked on the peaceful use of nuclear energy, the construction of a deep geological repository for the disposal of radioactive waste was something for the distant future.
According to the Nuclear Energy Act (NEA), radioactive waste that occurs in Switzerland must basically be managed within the country. The producers of waste are responsible for its management.
The concept of final storage in deep geological formations has become established as a means of safe radwaste management in order to ensure lasting protection against radioactive waste for people and for the environment.
Society produces a variety of waste that must be disposed of in a way that ensures the protection of humans and the environment without imposing undue burdens on future generations. Radioactive waste is no different.
Switzerland has radioactive waste. Two-thirds of this waste originates from nuclear power plants, while medicine, industry and research account for one-third of the total.
Operators of nuclear power plants in Switzerland have met the ENSI deadline of 1 June 2011 for the creation of an external store for emergency equipment. ENSI inspectors consider that the store meets its requirements.
