Germany Receives 700 Tons of Highly Radioactive Nuclear Waste, Population Reacts with Concern and Protests

Written by Romário Pereira de Carvalho

Published on 07/04/2025 at 16:22

Imagem ilustrativa. Foto: IA

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700 Tons of Nuclear Waste Arrive in Germany and Spark Protests. Public Fears Environmental Risks and Pressures for Safe Solutions

A shipment of highly radioactive nuclear waste has arrived at the port of Nordenham, Lower Saxony, in northern Germany. The material was transported by a specialized ship and triggered a strong reaction in the region. Anti-nuclear groups protested and forced authorities to temporarily close the port.

Nuclear Waste Came from the United Kingdom After Reprocessing

The highly radioactive nuclear waste results from the reprocessing of used fuel elements from nuclear power plants in Germany that are no longer operational.

This reprocessing took place in Sellafield, United Kingdom. The shipment arrived after the transportation license was approved in December 2024.

ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW

Transport with Strong Security and Rigorous Inspection

The unloading operation of the radioactive nuclear waste also drew attention. The first container, measuring four meters in length and weighing more than 100 tons, was removed from the ship “Pacific Grebe” by a crane.

This occurred on Tuesday morning. The container underwent inspection to measure radiation levels and ensure they met the standards recorded in Sellafield, the broadcaster DW reported.

Reports indicated that the waste is strongly protected against external radiation. During reprocessing, the material was mixed with liquid silicate glass and placed in stainless steel containers. These containers were sealed and filled with glass molds.

Subsequently, these containers were placed inside even more robust containers made of cast iron and stainless steel. Each weighs over 100 tons. Extensive testing confirmed the effectiveness of these containers, which ensure protection in extreme conditions.

Germany Seeks Final Disposal for Nuclear Waste

Currently, the German Federal Company for the Disposal of Radioactive Waste (BGE) is working to find a permanent underground storage site. The goal is to safely store approximately 27,000 cubic meters of nuclear waste. This volume represents the waste generated over 60 years of nuclear energy use in the country.

Until 2011, reprocessed waste was sent to the temporary storage facility in Gorleben, also in Lower Saxony. There, 108 barrels of vitrified waste were stored. This already constituted a considerable part of the total that will be returned to Germany.

End of Nuclear Energy Does Not End Obligations

Germany decided to phase out the use of nuclear energy by 2023. This process was accelerated after the Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan in 2011. All nuclear plants in the country have already been shut down.

Even with the end of nuclear generation, the country still needs to accept back the waste produced in the past. Until 2005, it was common to send used material for reprocessing in France and the United Kingdom. The return of this waste continues to generate protests and concerns within Germany.

Germany Receives 700 Tons of Highly Radioactive Nuclear Waste, Population Reacts with Concern and Protests

700 Tons of Nuclear Waste Arrive in Germany and Spark Protests. Public Fears Environmental Risks and Pressures for Safe Solutions

Nuclear Waste Came from the United Kingdom After Reprocessing

Transport with Strong Security and Rigorous Inspection

Germany Seeks Final Disposal for Nuclear Waste

End of Nuclear Energy Does Not End Obligations

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Germany Receives 700 Tons of Highly Radioactive Nuclear Waste, Population Reacts with Concern and Protests

700 Tons of Nuclear Waste Arrive in Germany and Spark Protests. Public Fears Environmental Risks and Pressures for Safe Solutions

Nuclear Waste Came from the United Kingdom After Reprocessing

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Germany Seeks Final Disposal for Nuclear Waste

End of Nuclear Energy Does Not End Obligations

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Austria inaugurates Europe’s first high-speed railway outside China — trains travel at 250 km/h through 33 km tunnels in the Alps that took 27 years to drill

Japanese garbage collectors treat filthy trucks as if they were dealership cars, and the obsession with cleanliness is so absurd that they invented a washing machine that only exists for this type of vehicle.

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