Focused science shop - Potential environmental impact of radioactive waste disposal in comparison with other hazardous wastes. Deliverable 7

An important part of the ARGONA project is the testing and application of novel participation and dialogue approaches. The Czech Republic is one of the countries where these approaches will be applied and tested. The ways in this is being done include a series of events involving different stakeholders such as a focused science shop, a consensus panel and an interaction panel. In the framework of these activities in the Czech Republic the focused science shop was held on March 12, 2008 in the Nuclear Research Institute (NRI) in Rez, and addressed the theme: 'Radioactive waste management and radiation risk in comparison with other hazardous waste and risks'. The main goal of this focused science shop was to increase awareness amongst the public of actual and potential effects of radioactive and toxic wastes and to prioritise questions/uncertainties that people might have in this field. The following topics were discussed: - Differences in the general perception of nuclear waste in comparison with other toxic wastes; - General public awareness of the issue of nuclear waste management and other toxic wastes management; - Management and ultimate disposal of radioactive waste and other toxic waste in terms of the technology employed; - NIMBY effect. A broader audience was selected with a suitable mixture of specialists and interested technical and non-technical peers including representatives from NRI, universities, Ministry of Industry and Trade, Ministry of the Environment, State Office for Nuclear Safety and Radioactive Waste Repository Authority, representatives of municipalities and NGOs, and waste producers such as CEZ plc etc. In the Czech Republic there is a general unwillingness by the public to actively participate in the NWM decision-making process. Therefore, despite all the efforts made by the project team, not all invited stakeholders attended the meeting. Despite this, the meeting was very positively received by those who did attend and indicates the beginning of a closer cooperation between all parties concerned. On the basis of the discussion, a significant number of interesting results were obtained