Five years R and D work on geological disposal in Belgium

After the tripartite symposium in 1979 when the future Belgian program of the radioactive waste disposal into geological formations had been presented, the program was adopted without the fundamental modification of the original plans. It has developed according to the three lines: the acceptability of plastic clay as the host formation for conditioned radioactive wastes, the feasibility of the repositories in deep plastic clay formations, and the confirmation of the potential sites. The investigations involved laboratory, field and also theoretical works. After 5 years of the research, the outlook appears to be good about the use of the Boom clay formation in the N. E. part of Belgium for the long-term safe disposal of conditioned radioactive wastes. The R and D activities in the last five year period are described. (J.P.N.)