On 25 April 2017, the operator responsibilities for the Asse II mine as well as the Konrad and Morsleben repositories were transferred to the Federal Company for Radioactive Waste Disposal (Bundesgesellschaft für Endlagerung mbH, BGE). This website of the Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS) will therefore no longer be updated and displays the status as on 24 April 2017. You will find current information at the BGE: www.bge.de

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The repository

1958 - 1996: Chicken production and interim storage of toxic waste in the GDR

  • In the former GDR chicken were produced in the Marie mine, while the repository we know today was being constructed in the Bartensleben mine. Later on toxic waste was stored intermediately in the Marie mine.
  • From 1971, low-level and intermediate-level radioactive wastes were disposed of in the Bartensleben mine. Small amounts of radioactive waste were stored intermediately.

Chicken production in the Marie mine

Chicken farming underground Chicken farming undergroundChicken farming underground

In 1958, on their 5th party conference, the SED decided to increase the production of consumer goods. Within seven years, the chicken production was to increase by 700 per cent. Former chambers in the Marie mine where armament had been produced were fit out for chicken farming.

Until 1984 the mine was used for chicken production. During this period about 15,000 tons of poultry were produced. Part of the waste water accrued remained underground. Slaughterhouse operation stopped in 1990.

Interim storage of toxic waste in the Marie mine

In 1985, the GDR Council of Ministers decided to temporarily store drums filled with cyanide-containing hardening salts in the Marie mine. Parts of the toxic wastes had already been stored in two boiler rooms in Beendorf under conditions that were harmful to the environment.

Examination of a drum prior to relocation Examination of a drum prior to relocationExamination of a drum prior to relocation

No experience was available on underground storage. The waste producers therefore had to carry out tests on the storage behaviour. Safety concerns relating to the radioactive waste repository were assessed. From 1987, following trial phases, the wastes were then stored in chambers that had served as storage facilities in National Socialism. The 20,000 drums were relocated by 1996.

Repository for radioactive waste in the Bartensleben mine

Parallel to chicken production and interim storage of toxic waste in the Marie mine, the former GDR used the Bartensleben mine as a repository for radioactive wastes. Solid and liquid radioactive wastes were disposed of. Furthermore, radioactive wastes were stored intermediately. The general public in the GDR was badly informed.

The key data in brief
YearEvent
1959 - 1984Chicken production in the Marie mine
Until 1969Mining of rock salt in the Bartensleben mine
From 1971Disposal of radioactive wastes in the Bartensleben mine
1987 - 1996Interim storage of toxic hardening salts in the Marie mine, 1995 – 1996 retrieval of the wastes
State of 2017.01.03

Transfer of operator responsibilities

On 25 April 2017, the operator responsibilities for the Asse II mine as well as the Konrad and Morsleben repositories were transferred to the Federal Company for Radioactive Waste Disposal (Bundesgesellschaft für Endlagerung mbH, BGE). Previously, the responsibility for the projects was with the Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS). The foundations for the change of operatorship are laid down in the "Act on the Realignment of the Organisational Structures in the Field of Radioactive Waste Disposal", which became effective on 30 July 2016. The BfS focusses on the federal tasks of radiation protection, for example in the field of defence against nuclear hazards, medical research, mobile communication, UV protection or the measuring networks for environmental radioactivity.

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