Site selection and plant conception for final storage of radioactive waste in the Gorleben area

The salt deposit of Gorleben was provisionally designed as a site of radioactive waste storage and is at present being closely examined by the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (Federal Authority of Physics and Engineering) as a function of an extensive site investigation program. In order to perform the long-term separation of radioactive waste from the biosphere it is not sufficient to have exact knowledge of the geological features, but a concept has to be worked out for a radioactive waste storage in the planned stratum. Besides, before storage the radioactive wastes have to be treated such as to meet the requirements in the storage. A systems analysis based on the three components mentioned before as well as on the results of continued research programs will show whether storage of radioactive wastes in the salt deposit of Gorleben can be realized. (orig./HP)