Specific safety-related questions in final storage. A critical assessment of the BfS approach

The agreement initialed on June 14, 2000 by the German federal government and the electricity utilities contains a moratorium for three up to a maximum of ten years in which five conceptual and safety-related questions raised by the federal government about the suitability of the Gorleben salt dome as a repository for radioactive waste were to be clarified. The Federal Office of Radiation Protection (BfS) in September 2005 published on the Internet the final reports about the studies which had been extended to twelve questions by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment. The article deals with the approach used in processing the questions and with the contents of the findings. Conclusions are drawn with respect to responsible handling of final storage, including the demand that speedy resumption of the exploratory activities at Gorleben is both meaningful and necessary. (orig.)