German residents voice concerns over planned Swiss waste repository

Residents and officials in southern Germany have raised concerns about Switzerland’s planned deep geological repository for radioactive waste, just three kilometres from the border town of Hohentengen. Swiss broadcaster SRF reported that the project, called Terradura, is planned for the Zurich Unterland, with waste storage expected to begin from 2050.

The highly radioactive waste produced by nuclear power plants remains radioactive for up to one million years. At a conference in Waldshut, Martin Steinebrunner, head of Germany’s coordination office for the repository, said local discontent was strong. Many people felt that something unwanted was once again being imposed on them, he said.

Hohentengen council member Roswitha Drayer said she understood the concerns on both sides of the border, noting that people in Switzerland also contend with aircraft noise and would have to live with the repository. Waldshut district head Martin Kistler said his priority was to ensure the facility’s safety, while also pointing to the question of compensation.

Swiss Federal Council member Albert Rösti said about a month ago that people on both sides of the border should receive appropriate compensation. Hohentengen Mayor Jürgen Wiener said compensation must be provided if the repository goes ahead, but added that the town did not want it. He said residents were concerned about possible damage to the town’s image and contamination of drinking water.

German representatives are involved in the planning process, but have no veto, Wiener said. He called for residents’ fears to be taken seriously to build trust and acceptance. Despite the disagreement over the proposed location, participants at the Waldshut conference described relations between Germany and Switzerland as good.

The National Cooperative for the Disposal of Radioactive Waste, known as Nagra, proposed Nördlich Lägern as the repository location in September 2022. It submitted its application for a general licence to the federal government in autumn 2024. Nagra expects the government to decide on the licence in 2031, subject to approval by parliament. If a referendum is held, voters will have the final say. Construction could begin in the mid-2030s.