No solution: Minimum distance of four kilometres to residential area
Physical or safety-related reasons for such a requirement are not indicated
Recent demands for a minimum distance of four kilometres between an interim storage facility and a residential area do not help solve the current conflict of interest in terms of a potential site. Individual members of the Monitoring Group have repeatedly voiced these demands most recently in the debate about an interim storage facility. Thus, when applying this criterion, no licensable sites can be found within a radius of 50 kilometres around the Asse mine. This is shown in an analysis of geographical maps conducted by the Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS). The examination showed that altogether five uninhabited areas can be found in Lower Saxony in the aforementioned radius, where it would be possible to leave the mentioned distances. However, these areas are located in tourist local recreation areas, national parks or drinking water catchment areas, as can be seen in an animation.
Interim storage facilities are subject to strict licence conditions and limit values
Some members of the Monitoring Group state that only a distance of at least four kilometres to the nearest residential area would provide sufficient safety. How four kilometres may lead to more safety, remains technically unfounded and is not comprehensible. Interim storage facilities for radioactive wastes are subject to strict licensing requirements and limit values that must be kept. Among others, the operator must provide evidence that no person will be exposed to health risks, even if they stay 24 hours by the facility fence over a whole year. Already at a smaller distance, the direct radiation can hardly be measured, as shown by study results recently published by the BfS (Link). Physical or safety-related reasons for a distance of four kilometres to the nearest residential area cannot be recognised.
An operable interim storage facility - a necessary prerequisite for retrieval
To be able to implement its statutory mandate of radioactive waste retrieval, the BfS needs an operable interim storage facility. It is comprehensible that the issue of an interim storage facility for wastes from the Asse mine is discussed controversially. However, who generally rejects an interim storage facility by the Asse, should say this openly in view of a fair debate – reasonable safety issues are not suitable for being instrumentalised.
Catalogue of criteria is basis for the search for a site
The BfS rejects statements of individual members of the Monitoring Group that the so-called parameter study would replace the catalogue of criteria. In order to avoid misunderstandings, this issue was pointed out on the internet in an introductory text on the publication of the parameter study of December 2014 (in German): "Parameterstudie": Mögliche Strahlenbelastungen durch ein Zwischenlager für die Asse-Abfälle. The parameter study answers questions of possible radiation exposure at different distances to an interim storage facility. It had been agreed with the BfS upon request by the Asse-2 Monitoring Group. It must be considered independently of the catalogue of criteria for the search for an interim storage facility, which has likewise been co-ordinated with the Asse-2 Monitoring Group. Only the catalogue of criteria is the basis for a search procedure for an interim storage facility.
Wanted: Common basis for action
The situation described underlines the necessity of a co-ordinated basis for action among all actors involved. This was pointed out repeatedly by the BfS in the past months. A procedure is required as to how decisions can be taken timely, also in case of conflicts and deviating opinions. For the BfS, the missing basis for action were already in the summer of 2014 the reason for suspending the search procedure temporarily.