Nuclear Waste Management in Finland

The responsibility for nuclear waste management lies with the nuclear power companies, who must take care of the measures associated with the management of the nuclear waste they have generated, and bear the costs for these measures. According to the 1994 Finnish Nuclear Energy Act, all nuclear waste must be treated, stored and disposed of in Finland, and no nuclear waste from other countries shall be imported to Finland.

Responsibility for Waste Management

Internationally, the generally accepted idea is to make efforts to ensure that all radioactive waste is disposed of in its country of origin. This principle is manifested in such agreements as the nuclear waste convention signed by the Member States of  the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The basic assumption here is that indisputable provisions on the share of responsibilities and independent monitoring are included in the national legislation.

The responsibility for waste management lies with the producers of waste, i.e. the power plant companies Teollisuuden Voima Oyj (TVO) and Fortum Power and Heat Oy, whose liability covers all actions until the nuclear waste is permanently disposed of.

The responsibility for the principles, safety requirements and monitoring of compliance with the regulations related to nuclear waste management lies with the Finnish authorities. For permissions and regulations, the responsible authority is the Ministry of Employment and the Economy,  and for safety control, the Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority.

For reactor waste and power plant decommissioning waste, the nuclear power companies themselves take care of the practical measures relating to the nuclear waste management. The companies also take care of the interim storage of spent nuclear fuel. The final disposal of spent nuclear fuel generated in power plants owned by TVO and Fortum, as well as the task of conducting the associated research, belongs to Posiva Oy, founded by the two power plant companies.