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The area on the border with Germany seems as suitable as Bözberg and the northeast of Zurich.
Radioactive waste will one day be stored deep in the ground. Basically the subsurface at three locations is suitable for this, explains Tim Vietor, Head of Geology and Safety at the National Cooperative for the Storage of Radioactive Waste (Nagra): “This can be clearly demonstrated with our drilling results. It is possible to build secure repositories in all three location areas. “
All three locations are in northern Switzerland: the area around Bözberg in the canton of Aargau, the northeast area of Zurich between Winterthur and Schaffhausen, and now Nördlich Lägern is also refocusing. The region belongs to the cantons of Zurich and Aargau and borders Germany: “Nördlich Lägern surprised us positively. We have come to a better structural evaluation, ”says Vietor.
Nördlich Lägern positively surprised us. We have come to a better structural evaluation.
In 2015, Nagra declined to conduct further test drilling at this location. However, the supervisory authority forced Nagra to carry out further investigations there as well.
The area north of Lägern for deep drilling is in the area of the cantons of Zurich and Aargau.
Keystone / Files
Opalinus clay at a depth of 900 meters
The affected rock layer, the Opalinus clay at a depth of 900 meters, has now been shown to be better than originally supposed, according to Nagra. According to Vietor, it is comparable to the other location areas. Everywhere, the layer thickness is just over 100 meters.
The composition is comparable in terms of tightness and all other properties: “That means: in the three location areas, the Opalinus clay allows us to build a safe deep deposit from the rocks,” says the geologist.
Pressure from the authorities valued positively
Therefore, the authorities’ objection has turned out to be justified. “The process is strengthened if the contribution of the different authorities is received in such a way that the result is better in the end,” said Vietor.
Marthalen Municipality (ZH) is one of the Northeast Zurich exploration drilling locations in the Zurich and Thurgau Cantons area.
Keystone / Files
The affected communities are not surprised by this decision. It has already been shown in recent months that Nördlich Lägern could again be considered as a possible location, they say.
They also did not want to prevent camp a priori, but rather to get involved early and seriously in any location decisions as potentially affected communities.
View of the Nagra drill site in the Bözberg 2 site area in the canton of Aargau.
Keystone / Files
The proposal should follow in two years.
Nagra assumes that in two years he will be able to announce which region he prefers for a camp. The final choice of location is made by the Federal Council and Parliament; if necessary, people also have the last word.
Radioactive waste should be stored efficiently, probably from the middle of the century. Until then, it will be temporarily stored in large containers in Würenlingen, in the canton of Aargau.
