Start of radioactive waste removal from Germany’s Asse mine postponed indefinitely
The removal of radioactive waste from the Asse nuclear storage site in Lower Saxony, Germany, has been postponed indefinitely.
Citing Spiegel, AzerNEWS reports that the Federal Company for Radioactive Waste Disposal (BGE) stated that numerous uncertainties in the project prevent them from providing a precise new date for the start of waste extraction.
Approximately 126,000 barrels of radioactive waste, stored in the Asse mine complex during the 1960s and 1970s, are contained at the site. The facility is considered geologically unstable, with a risk of future flooding, prompting plans for the waste’s removal and the closure of the mine.
BGE had originally planned to begin extraction in 2033, with estimated costs exceeding €3 billion. Subsequent assessments revealed that the initial plan lacked sufficient detailed justification.
Christian Meyer, Lower Saxony’s Environment Minister and member of the Green Party, criticized the delays, stating that the planned clearing of the Asse facility, mandated by the Bundestag, should not be postponed indefinitely. He urged the federal government to ensure that BGE fulfills its legal obligations.
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