Finland plans to put its final repository for high-level radioactive waste into trial operation next year - the German population can also comment on this. There is currently an opportunity to submit comments on the Finnish application for an operating licence. The Federal Office for the Safety of Nuclear Waste Management will collect the German submissions until 9 September 2022.

In 2015, the Finnish government approved the construction of the world's first repository for high-level radioactive waste. It is located in crystalline rock under the island of Olkiluoto and is called Onkalo: cave. Trial operation of the repository for high-level radioactive waste is scheduled to begin in 2023, and subsequent commissioning is planned for the mid-2020s.

The operator of the future repository for high-level radioactive waste in Olkiluoto, Posiva Oy, has submitted an application to the Finnish Ministry of Economic Affairs for an operating licence for the conditioning plant and the repository in Olkiluoto. For this purpose, Finland has created a public participation opportunity that will last until 15 September 2022.

The German public can also comment on the application for an operating licence. Comments on the application can be submitted either directly on the participation platform lausuntopalvelu.fi, or via email to the Finnish Ministry of Economic Affairs (registry.tem@gov.fi).

Since the participation platform is only available in Finnish or Swedish, the German Federal Office for the Safety of Nuclear Waste Management (BASE) has also set up its own email account: finnland@base.bund.de. BASE will forward all submissions with objections, comments or statements received at this address collectively to the Finnish Ministry of Economic Affairs. In general, submissions can also be made in German. The deadline for submissions to the BASE email address is 9 September 2022.

In addition, BASE provides further information in German at www.base.bund.de/endlager-finnland (only in German), including information on the Finnish search process, where municipalities applied for the repository site, and on the geology of the site in Finland. The application documents are also available in English there.

Please note: All comments received are public and will be published on the participation platform lausuntopalvelu.fi.

Information on the status and procedure of the German repository search can be found at www.endlagersuche-infoplattform.de.