Solving the back end: Finland's key to the final disposal of spent nuclear fuel

Countries operating nuclear power plants store their spent nuclear fuel either at reactor sites or away from them. Spent fuel can be dangerous to people and the environment if not properly managed; therefore, a publicly acceptable, permanent solution for its disposal is needed (see box). While a number of countries are considering deep geological disposal repositories, Finland is the only country that has begun the construction of a repository for the final disposal of its spent nuclear fuel.