EU seeks input in evaluating waste management policy

The European Commission has begun an open public consultation and call for evidence to help shape European Union policy on radioactive waste and spent fuel for the decade ahead. The public consultation lasts until June 19, while the call for evidence ends April 24.

Input from the initiative will help the EC evaluate how two European laws, the 2006 Shipments Directive and the 2011 Radioactive Waste Directive, have fared in meeting their objectives. The two directives govern the supervision and control of shipments of radioactive waste and spent fuel and provide a regulatory framework for the long-term management of spent fuel and radioactive waste, respectively.

According to the EC, the findings will provide evidence for future policy initiatives to ensure that the objectives of the two directives "are fully achieved and consistently applied." The evaluation will also provide opportunities for improving the EU's Euratom treaty and reducing unnecessary administrative burdens, according to the EC.

The need: A 2024 EC report identified four key persisting issues in implementing a Radioactive Waste Directive. The report found that several EU countries still did not define national policies for the long-term management of all of their radioactive waste; some national programs' targets were not sufficiently ambitious; there were weaknesses in national programs' control and funding, and that some cost assessments were out of date or incomprehensive.

Context: According to the EC's Nuclear Illustrative Program, nuclear capacity across the EU is projected to grow from 98 GWe in 2025 to around 109 GWe by 2050. Consequently, new volumes of radioactive waste and spent fuel will be generated, adding to the existing inventory of legacy waste. In addition, radioactive waste is generated in the EU through the use of nuclear materials in medicine, industry, agriculture, research, and education.

The EC noted that all EU countries must manage some form of nuclear waste, and that the effective and responsible management of radioactive waste and spent fuel are key to ensuring safety and continued public support for the use of nuclear technology.