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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Safety

Safety and radiation protection

Comprehensive monitoring measures serve to ensure the current and future safety of the Morsleben repository. The mine safety of the site is being controlled and the radiation exposure to persons, facilities and the vicinity of the repository is being monitored.

The objective is to provide consistent proof of the radioactive materials discharged from the mine and to quickly detect possible changes in order to be able to take action should this become necessary.

Stabilisation of the Morsleben repository

In order to be able to safely operate the Morsleben repository until the nuclear decommissioning procedure concludes with the implementation of the decommissioning measures applied for by the Federal Office for Radiation Protection, the mine openings need to be stable. Neither natural rock movements nor inflowing water must impede the stability. The barrier function of the covering rock layers needs to be kept.

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Operational dosimeter

Operational radiation protection

Operational radiation protection includes both the dosimetric monitoring of staff and visitors and the monitoring of the facilities themselves. The Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS) has taken a number of measures in order to prevent people from being exposed to any radiation hazards. Defined radiation protection areas, dosimetric monitoring and contamination controls are used to protect staff and visitors from unacceptable radiation exposure.

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Return air building Marie mine

Monitoring of discharges from the mine

In the context of emission monitoring controls are carried out as to what extent discharges from the Morsleben repository are radioactively contaminated. Radioactive materials can be released via both the return air and the waste water (e.g. water for a shower or washing hands) from the control area of the repository. For this reason, discharges from the mine are monitored and the measurements are documented.

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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.

Messung der Firstsenkungsraten

Site monitoring

The mining state of the Morsleben repository is monitored continuously. The Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS) monitors the state of the rock and the existing saline solutions to ensure that the repository can continue to be operated in an orderly and safe manner until it will be decommissioned.

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Overview about influent solutions and brines

Influent solutions and brines

In practically all mines, various volumes of influent solutions and brines occur. Influent solutions are groundwater that is saturated with rock salt and flows into the mine workings from outside. Solutions originate from the operation of the mine or were enclosed when the salt rock was generating. In contrast to the solutions from the operation of the mine, the latter are also entirely saturated with rock salt.

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Measuring devices around Morsleben

Monitoring of the direct vicinity of the repository

Environmental monitoring, also referred to as immission monitoring, controls the radioactivity in the direct vicinity of the repository. Air, water, soil and plants are examined to recognise early long-term changes as a result of the discharge of radioactive materials from the repository and to control compliance with dose limits. The results from environmental monitoring prove that there are no indications that the operation of the Morsleben repository increases the existing natural or civilizational radiation exposure.

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