Governing Nuclear Waste : What Should Be the Roles of National Regulatory Bodies ?

Abstract

In most nuclear countries across the world, geological disposal appears as the main option to manage high-level radioactive waste. Many new socio-economic, technical and safety issues arise with the implementation of this option. In the process of addressing these issues, national regulatory bodies stand out as crucial actors. While descriptions of their legal responsibilities abound, studies investigating the future normative choices emerging with the governance of toxic waste are needed. What should be the roles of regulators in dealing with the very sensitive siting process? According to whom? What does it mean for the credibility of the siting process? This presentation aims at systematically comparing three different regulation regimes and infrastructures of high-level radioactive waste management, based on actual perceptions of nuclear stakeholders of how, when and on what should national regulatory bodies intervene. Collected empirical data include a combination of empirical materials—i.e. legal requirements, safety case reports, participatory observations of consultation processes, 82 semi-directive interviews with policy makers, nuclear waste agencies, nuclear regulators in France, Belgium and Canada and local actors such as members of local information and monitoring council (CLIS) and members of the community liaison committee of four volunteer collectivities (CLC). ; Peer reviewed