Collective nuclear waste dumps, called European Regional Repositories, are to crop up in Eastern Europe, also in Poland, in the near future.
This is a joint EU initiative, currently developed in the European Repository Development Organization, of which Poland is a member. Negotiations on the construction of the collective geological repositories and the transport routes for nuclear waste are to begin in May. The talks are expected to last two years.
Experts involved in the Strategic Action Plan for Implementation of European Regional Repositories, SAPIERR II, sponsored by the European Commission, say the ERDO members may save up to 25 billion euro thanks to this solution.
No region will be forced to accept a repository, but those which agree to join the project will receive special EU subsidies for development. Polish specialists say that there are several places in Poland where such dump sites could be built.
In order for the site to be located in Poland, laws which prohibit the import of nuclear waste would have to be amended. Then, public fears connected with such facilities would have to be allayed.
Professor Stefan Chwaszczewski from the Atomic Energy Institute says he would not be afraid to live next to such a repository. While Professor Jerzy Niewodniczanski points out that the repositories would create many new jobs and their construction would benefit regions with high unemployment rates best. (kk/mmj)