EU calls for final storage sites for nuclear waste

The EU Commission wants EU states are to present concrete plans for the final disposal of their nuclear waste by 2015. Countries which lack storage facilities must cooperate with neighbouring states, EU energy commissioner Günther Oettinger explained on Wednesday in Brussels. The liberal daily welcomes the proposal: "Nuclear energy is very popular in many EU countries. But there is considerably less interest in the debate about the final disposal of the radioactive waste it produces. Europe's 143 nuclear power plants generated 1.8 million cubic metres of waste between 2004 and 2008. It's catastrophic as well as scandalous that there is still no serious solution for this problem to date. Oettinger wants to remedy this situation and is calling for a responsible approach. ... Certainly the final disposal of nuclear waste entails high risks. So it is questionable whether there will be enough countries willing to take their neighbours' waste. ... As usual in Europe the proposal will only be put into practice if all member give their approval. That will be Oettinger's main problem."

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