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

The repository

The former potash and rock salt mine and current repository Morsleben can look back on a varied history. In 1971, the GDR established a repository for low-level and intermediate-level radioactive waste in this mine. The Federal Republic of Germany continued to use this repository until 1998. Altogether 36,754 cubic metres of low-level and medium-level radioactive waste has been stored. The repository is under decommissioning. The objective is to safely seal off the radioactive waste from the biosphere. The overall responsibility for the construction and operation of the repository is with the Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS).

Ortslage Morsleben und Beendorf, im Hintergrund die Salzhalde

Morsleben repository at a glance

In the former Bartensleben potash and rock salt mine near Morsleben (Saxony Anhalt), the GDR set up a repository for low-level and intermediate-level radioactive waste. The Federal Republic of Germany continued to use this repository until 1998. Altogether 36,754 cubic metres of low-level and medium-level radioactive waste have been stored in the Morsleben repository.

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Own waste in the western field

Disposed radioactive waste

From 1971 to 1991 and from 1994 to 1998, altogether 36,754 cubic metres of low-level and intermediate-level radioactive waste were disposed of in the Morsleben repository for radioactive waste (ERAM). This also includes 6,621 sealed radiation sources. About sixty per cent of the inventory currently being stored originates from the time after the repository had been taken over by the BfS in the course of reunification, starting on 3 October 1990.

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Players and responsibilities

The responsibilities for the disposal of radioactive waste are regulated in the Atomic Energy Act (AtG). Pursuant to § 9a para. 3 AtG the Federation has the task to establish facilities for the long-term storage and disposal of radioactive waste. The Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS) is the competent authority pursuant to § 23 AtG. Today, the overall responsibility for the operation and decommissioning of the Morsleben repository is with the BfS.

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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.

Marie mine - historical view 1922

History of the Morsleben repository

The Morsleben repository is an over 100-year-old potash and rock salt mine. In World War II the mine served as concentration sub-camp and as underground armament production facility, later on chicken production and storage facility for toxic waste. Between 1971 and 1998, low-level and intermediate-level radioactive wastes were emplaced.

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underground measuring field

Intermediately stored radioactive waste

Apart from the radioactive waste disposed of, waste has also been stored intermediately in the Morsleben repository for radioactive waste. This waste consists of radium-226 waste and of mainly cobalt-60 radiation sources. Measured by volume, the intermediately stored waste covers only a negligible portion of the radioactive waste (less than 0.01 per cent). Still, it represents ca. two thirds of the emplaced activity (182,000 gigabecquerels; as of 2013).

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Financing of operation and decommissioning

Since the Morsleben repository is an installation under § 9a Atomic Energy Act, its operation and future decommissioning are entirely financed by State funds. From 1990 to 2014, the Morsleben repository for radioactive waste entailed costs of about 1.1 billion euros.

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