International Understanding of Reversibility of Decisions and Retrievability of Waste in Geological Disposal

Countries around the world are researching, developing and demonstrating disposal of long-lived radioactive waste in engineered repositories located in suitable deep underground geological formations as the reference solution to protect present and future generations and the environment. In some countries, actual implementation of geological disposal projects is only a few years away. Countries are also considering whether and how to incorporate the concepts of reversibility and retrievability into their repository programmes. Reversibility implies a disposal programme that is implemented in stages and that keeps options open at each stage, and provides the capacity to manage the repository with flexibility over time. Retrievability is the possibility to reverse the step of waste emplacement. It is generally recognized that it is important for each country to clarify the meaning and role of reversibility and retrievability for its programme and that long-term safety is paramount. The present leaflet summarizes the current understanding developed in the NEA international project on reversibility and retrievability (http://www.nea.fr/rwm/rr). The leaflet includes a generic Retrievability Scale that is adaptable to most countries’ programmes and could help support dialogue with stakeholders.