A Socio-Technical Perspective on Repository Monitoring - 12229
- University of Antwerp, Faculty of Political and Social Sciences, Sint-Jacobstraat 2, 2000 Antwerpen (Belgium)
- University of Gothenburg, Department of Sociology, Box 720, 40530 Gothenburg (Sweden)
- University of East Anglia, School of Environmental Sciences, Norwich NR4 7TJ (United Kingdom)
Monitoring geological repositories for high-activity radioactive wastes has both technical and social dimensions, which are closely interrelated. To investigate the implications of this for geological disposal, data on experts' expectations of repository monitoring and the functions that it is expected to serve were analysed. The analysis drew on strategic and technical documents on monitoring produced by national agencies and by international organisations or projects; interviews with specialists in radioactive waste management organisations on monitoring and on their perceptions of societal concerns and expectations; and observations from technical workshops on repository monitoring. Three main rationales for monitoring were found: performance confirmation; decision support in a step-wise process; and public and stakeholder confidence building. The expectation that monitoring will enhance public confidence is then examined from a social scientific perspective and the potential for and challenges to using monitoring in this way are reviewed. In conclusion, implications for stakeholder engagement in the development of monitoring objectives and strategies are discussed. (authors)
- Research Organization:
- WM Symposia, 1628 E. Southern Avenue, Suite 9-332, Tempe, AZ 85282 (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 22293519
- Report Number(s):
- INIS-US-14-WM-12229; TRN: US14V1174115043
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: WM2012: Waste Management 2012 conference on improving the future in waste management, Phoenix, AZ (United States), 26 Feb - 1 Mar 2012; Other Information: Country of input: France; 12 refs.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Factors affecting public and political acceptance for the implementation of geological disposal
International Approaches for Nuclear Waste Disposal in Geological Formations: Report on Fifth Worldwide Review