Strategies and Approaches for DGR Siting - Experiences from Finland and other Siting Programs

Summary The process of identifying a suitable site for a radioactive waste disposal facility is both crucial and challenging. Its outcome can significantly affect the long-term costs, public acceptance, and safety of the facility. The siting process aims to select a site of which suitability can be demonstrated in three key areas: 1) Safety and environmental suitability, 2) Construction and operational suitability and 3) Societal and political acceptability. The Site Descriptive Model (SDM) is defined as the model that gathers all research data and information in place and model. The geological setting, at both local and regional scales, of a potential disposal site form a fundamental basis for the SDM and all future geoscientific and safety assessments of a Deep Geological Repository (DGR). The SDM is closely linked to the broader site characterisation process, which aims to develop a comprehensive understanding of all the characteristics relevant to disposal at each stage during the disposal of radioactive waste.