Safety aspects of waste management

Many countries, especially those with a nuclear programme, have generated radioactive waste that need final disposal. National regulations are at hand but a strengthening of the international waste management regime by an international convention will also be very important in the complex and controversial field of waste management and disposal. Waste management technologies exist but the application to long-term disposal and the demonstration of safety is a real challenge society for implementer and regulator and to a democratic society with an open and democratic decision process. This can hopefully be solved by a stepwise, open process that gives all stakeholders a fair chance to participate. In this way confidence in waste management and disposal may be reached. (author)