Country |
Policy |
Facilities and progress towards final repositories |
Belgium |
Reprocessing |
Central waste storage and underground laboratory established. Construction of repository to begin about 2035 |
Canada |
Direct disposal |
Underground repository laboratory established. Repository planned for use in 2025 |
China |
Reprocessing |
Central used fuel storage in LanZhou |
Finland |
Direct disposal |
Used fuel storages in operation. Low and intermediate-level repositories in operation since 1992. Site near Olkiluoto selected for deep repository for used fuel from 2020 |
France |
Reprocessing |
Two facilities for storage of short-lived wastes. Site selection studies underway for deep geological repository for commissioning in 2020 |
Germany |
Reprocessing but moving to direct disposal |
Low-level waste sites in use since 1975. Intermediate-level wastes stored at Ahaus. Used fuel storage at Ahaus and Gorleben. High-level repository to be operational after 2010 |
India |
Reprocessing |
Research on deep geological disposal for high-level waste |
Japan |
Reprocessing |
Low-level waste repository in operation. High-level waste storage facility at Rokkasho-mura since 1995. Investigations for deep geological repository site begun, to operate from 2035 |
Russia |
Reprocessing |
Sites for final disposal under investigation. Central repository for low and intermediate-level wastes planned from 2008 |
South Korea |
Direct disposal |
Central interim high-level waste store planned for 2016. Central low and intermediate-level repository planned from 2008. Investigating deep high-level waste repository sites. |
Spain |
Direct disposal |
Low and intermediate-level waste repository in operation. Final high-level waste repository site selection program for commissioning in 2020 |
Sweden |
Direct disposal |
Central used fuel storage facility in operation since 1985. Final repository for low to intermediate waste in operation since 1988. Underground research laboratory for high-level waste repository. Site selection for repository in two volunteered locations. |
Switzerland |
Reprocessing |
Central interim storage for high-level wastes at Zwilag since 2001. Central low and intermediate-level storages operating since 1993. Underground research laboratory for high-level waste repository, with deep repository to be finished by 2020 |
United Kingdom |
Reprocessing |
Low-level waste repository in operation since 1959. High-level waste is vitrified and stored at Sellafield. Underground high-level waste repository envisaged. |
United States |
Direct disposal but moving to reprocessing |
Three low-level waste sites in operation. Decision in 2002 to proceed with Yucca Mountain geological repository for 70,000 tonnes used fuel & HLW. |
