Finland approves nuclear waste vault | NHK WORLD-JAPAN News - NHKニュース
Finland has been seeking a solution for dealing with high-level radioactive waste. The government said Thursday it approved what could be the world's first deep underground disposal site for spent nuclear fuel.
The repository, which is more than 400 meters deep, is on Olkiluoto Island in southwestern Finland. It is designed to store the spent fuel from the country's nuclear power plants. Officials said it meets safety standards.
The operator, Posiva, has been testing equipment to ensure the material can be safely buried underground. It will need final approval from Finland's nuclear regulator. But the company hopes to begin disposal by the end of this year.
Sweden is also building a similar facility, and many other countries, including Japan, are searching for suitable locations to build one. The nuclear waste is expected to stay radioactive for about 100,000 years.
