The successful implementation of safe, deep geological disposal of spent fuel, high-level waste and other long-lived radioactive waste is one of the currently most pressing and important environmental challenges in several countries in Europe and worldwide. Site exploration and assessment are primarily geoscientific tasks that require interdisciplinary collaboration of different geoscientific disciplines, like geophysics, geochemistry, mineralogy, geomechanics, and geological as well as THMC modelling. Successful and socially accepted site selection and implementation, however, not only depend on geoscientific state-of-the-art results and R&D programs but to a large extend on targeted, adequate and well-designed public outreach and public involvement/participation activities as well as on suitable regulatory frameworks. Both, geoscientific and technological as well as social and regulatory aspects complement each other and need to be addressed.
This session therefore welcomes contributions from research organizations, NGOs, waste management organizations, and regulatory bodies. Topics may include, but are not limited to, advances in exploration and modelling tools and approaches, safety assessment strategies, disposal concepts, national and transnational public outreach and public involvement programs, national regulatory frameworks. Preference will be given to contributions that highlight the interdisciplinary and especially transdisciplinary character of deep geological disposal research.