World’s first nuclear waste repository almost ready in Finland

Finland is reportedly set to make history by opening Onkalo, the world’s first permanent underground repository for nuclear waste. The facility is designed to safely store highly radioactive spent nuclear fuel for up to one-lakh-year, giving scientists and government a long-term solution to one of the biggest problems of nuclear energy.

Located in the forests of southwest Finland near the town of Eurajoki, Onkalo lies 433 meters below the earth’s surface. The underground tunnel has been carved into 1.9-billion-year-old bedrock, chosen because it is extremely stable and unlikely to be affected by natural disasters as per reports. Once approved, the facility could begin operations by the end of this year or next year. 

This waste remains dangerous for ten-thousand-year and must be isolated from people and the environment. Since nuclear power plants first began operating in the 1950s, countries around the world have struggled to find a permanent way to dispose of nuclear waste.

At Onkalo, the waste will be reportedly protected through several safety barriers. First, the spent nuclear fuel will be sealed inside thick copper canisters that are highly resistant to corrosion. The repository has enough space to store about 6,500 tonnes of uranium waste, which is expected to hold all the spent nuclear fuel produced by Finland's five nuclear reactors. Waste will continue to be deposited in the facility over the next 100 years before the repository is finally closed and sealed permanently.

Final approval expected soon, Finland is on the verge of becoming the first country in the world to permanently store its nuclear waste deep underground, where it can remain isolated from humans and the environment for thousands of centuries.