Skip to main content

The Partnership Approach to Siting and Developing Radioactive Waste Management Facilities

History shows that the search for sites for radioactive waste management facilities has been marred by conflicts and delays. Affected communities have often objected that their concerns and interests were not addressed. In response, institutions have progressively turned away from the traditional “decide, announce and defend” model, and are learning to “engage, interact and co-operate”. This shift has fostered the emergence of partnerships between the proponent of the facility and the potential host community, as shown in a recent NEA study.

Local Liaison Committees and National Association of Local Liaison Committees: the French experience

In the context of the governance of nuclear activities, especially in the field of the radioactive waste management, the self-structuring of civil society is a necessary condition of the citizens’ action. The experience of French “Commissions Locales d’Information” (CLIs) and their national federation the “Association Nationale des Commissions Locales d’Information” (ANCLI) represent an interesting and original example of local actors empowerment. In France, Local Information Commissions (CLI) are attached to most of the nuclear sites.

Defining an Affected Community

The long term management of radioactive waste creates site specific issues associated with storage and disposal facilities and the transportation of radioactive material. The resolution of these, sometimes controversial, issues requires an appreciation and accommodation of community issues and an essential element of these activities is an approach to defining the extent and composition of communities affected by radioactive waste management. <br><br>A community perspective can provide an insight into the relationship between a facility and people living in its vicinity.

Disclaimer: Note that this page contains links to external sites. When leaving the CURIE site, please note that the U.S. Department of Energy and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory do not control or endorse the content or ads on these sites.