Working models for constructive dialogue: Lessons learnt from experience in several countries

Regulators have a role both in developing standards and criteria to ensure public health and safety, and in evaluating whether these standards and criteria will be adequately met by proposed and/or constructed facilities The evaluation of compliance with criteria limiting radiological impacts into the far future is not straightforward, and there are many areas of regulatory uncertainty that pose a challenge to both regulators and proponents. This paper discusses the role of dialogue as a means of resolving regulatory uncertainty, using examples from a number of waste disposal programmes to illustrate the advantages and disadvantages of different approaches. The aim of the analysis is to understand better how to move from the broadly accepted international framework of justification, optimisation and limitation to a position where the regulator, proponent and stakeholders understand what is required to demonstrate adequately the long-term safety of a repository for long-lived radioactive wastes. The paper outlines the typical legislative framework for radioactive waste disposal and highlights where within this framework regulatory uncertainties are most apparent. The main types of model for dialogue on regulatory uncertainty are summarised, and conclusions drawn from the programmes that have used these models