Morsleben Disposal Facility for Low and Intermediate Level Radioactive Waste

The former Morsleben radioactive waste disposal facility in Saxony-Anhalt, near Helmstedt, Germany, is located in a salt formation. The 525-m-deep Shaft Bartensleben connects 4 main mining levels and the 520-m-deep Shaft Marie connects two main levels. Due to rock salt and potash production, many cavities exist in this former mine with dimensions of up to 100 m in length, 30 m in width and in height. The total volume amounts to about 8,000,000 m³ of underground cavities. By the end of the operational phase in 1998, a total waste volume of about 37,000 m³ with a total activity of approx. 9.3•10¹³ Bq (as of 2014) had been disposed of. The licensing procedure for the closure of the ERAM was initiated in 1992 and the respective documents were finally submitted to the licensing authority in 2009. A public hearing took place in 2011. During the long-lasting licensing and yet not finished procedure risks have been realised which have led to important set-backs and have caused a new management of the project. (author)