Regulatory aspects of underground disposal of radioactive waste in Austria

The Austrian Law and Radiation Protection (BGBl.Nr. 227/1969) and the Decree on Radiation Protection (BGBl.Nr. 47/1972) are regulating among other subjects also the establishment and the operation of facilities for safe and permanent underground disposal of radioactive waste. Following this legislation, both the establishment and the operation of facilities for emplacement of radioactive waste must be licenced by the component authority named in the Law on Radiation Protection. According to the legislation on radiation protection, the licence for the establishment of such facilities will be issued if sufficient precautions have been taken - considering also the intended location - for the protection of life and health of the human population and progeny from domage by ionizing radiation. (author)