In Germany, the Federal Government is responsible for the disposal of radioactive waste as laid down in the Atomic Energy Act (AtG). The Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU) attends to the interests of the Federal Government and is responsible for nuclear safety and radiation protection. The BMU is also responsible for principal decisions (programme level).
Since 1989, the Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS) which directly reports to the BMU has been in charge of developing concepts for the exploration, erection and operation of repositories (concept competence). Prior to this, the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt PTB (national metrology institute providing scientific and technical services) was responsible for this sector. The Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (BGR) is the central geoscientific institution of the Federal Government and responsible for the selection and characterisation of sites and for clarifying questions concerning geotechnical safety and stability. The Federal Government uses the services of the German service company for the construction and operation of waste repositories (DBE) for realising mining-related and technical measures (implementation level).
The following institutions are involved when special issues or overriding topics arise (e. g. long-term safety, radiation protection):
- Gesellschaft für Anlagen- und Reaktorsicherheit (GRS) mbH (German nuclear safety agency)
- Research institutes, such as the Research Centre Karlsruhe (FZK) or Jülich (FZJ)
- Universities
- Ecological institutes.
The costs of waste disposal are to be borne by the waste producers through the payment of a regular premium and advance payments of this premium. The waste producers are charged with the costs of the exploration process up to the completion of the repository mine by percentage rates as laid down in the provisions of the Repository Advance Payment Ordinance (Endlager VIV). According to the distribution key which is currently applied, the contribution of utility companies to waste disposal costs amount to 93%. This distribution is based on presumptions made in the past. The distribution key is currently being redefined by taking up-to-date calculations into account. In mid-2004, the amended Repository Advance Performance Ordinance will probably become legally binding. The utility companies will then pay 64.4% of the costs of the Konrad mine and 96.5% of the costs of Gorleben.
Following the commissioning of the repositories, the waste producers will be charged with the costs of the storage operation in relation to their respective waste quantities.
