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Radioactive waste governance
Radioactive waste management is an exemplary case of the interwoveness of technical and social dimensions and decision making at the science-policy interface. This complexity urges the need for a multidisciplinary reflection upon topics like dealing with (scientific and societal) uncertainties, the merits and limits of participatory democracy and intra- and inter-generational justice.
During the last years, SCK•CEN took part in international research programmes on the governance of radioactive waste within the EC 6th Framework Programme. PISA researchers participated in the projects Community Waste Management (COWAM2) and its follow up COWAM In Practice (CIP), as well as in Arenas for Risk GoverNance (ARGONA) (see previous projects) and were asked to deliver expertise to the European Observatory for Long-term Governance on Radioactive Waste Management (OBRA).
PISA researchers also contribute to the first of its kind local participation process on the siting of a low and medium active short-lived (cat. A) waste disposal site in the region Mol-Dessel in Belgium (see on-going projects).
Additionally the processes on the management of high level waste and spent fuel (cat. B&C) are closely followed up.
On-going projects
• Belgian Partnerships on low and medium active short-lived waste disposal
PISA researchers contribute to the first of its kind local participation process on the siting of a low and medium active short-lived waste disposal site in the region Mol-Dessel in Belgium.
read more / contact: Schröder Jantine
Previous projects
• Cowam In Practice
Cowam In Practice is the follow-up project of COWAM2 and aims to further contribute to enabling European societies to make actual progress in the governance of radioactive waste management. PISA researchers contribute as members of the CIP Methodological Task Force.
read more / contact: Meskens Gaston
• Arenas for Risk Governance
ARGONA stands for "Arenas for Risk Governance" and the project initially investigates how approaches of transparency and deliberation relate to each other and also how they relate to the political system in which decisions, for example on the final disposal of nuclear waste, are ultimately taken.
read more / contact: Meskens Gaston
• EC FP6 COWAM2
Participation in the EC level project
• Waste depositionism - A philosophical inquiry on technoscientists and nuclear waste
PhD thesis, Gunter Bombaerts, University of Ghent, Belgium, 2005.
