A Comparative Study of Stakeholder Participation in the Cleanup of Radioactive Wastes in the US, Japan and UK

Abstract

We review case studies of stakeholder participation in the environmental cleanup of radioactive wastes in the United States, Japan and United Kingdom (e.g., [21,26,27,66,78]). Citizen participation programs in these three countries are at different stages: mature in the US, starting in Japan, and becoming operational in the UK. The US issue at the US Department of Energy’s (DOE) Savannah River Site (SRS) in South Carolina (SC) had been focused on citizens encouraging Federal (DOE; US Environmental Protection Agency, or EPA; and the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission, or NRC) and State (SC’s Department of Health and Environmental Compliance, or DHEC) agencies to pursue “Plug-in-RODs” at SRS to simplify the regulations to accelerate closing seepage basins at SRS. In Japan, the Reprocessing of spent fuel and deep geological disposal of vitrified high-level waste have been among Japan’s priorities. A reprocessing plant in Rokkasho, Aomori Prefecture is expected to commence operations in October 2010. The search of a site for a deep geological disposal facility has been ongoing since 2002. But the direct engagement of stakeholders has not occurred in Japan. Indirectly, stakeholders attempt to exert influence on decision-making with social movements, local elections, and litigation. In the UK, the issue is gaining effective citizen participation with the UK’s Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA). We hope that the case studies from these countries may improve citizen participation.

Public consent for the geologic disposal of highly radioactive wastes and spent nuclear fuel

“…After the council discovered the private agreement between NUMO and its mayor, he was recalled and defeated [71]. In Japan, we discussed this situation in public at a waste management conference and later we met representatives from NUMO, who told us they would continue to seek public consent for geologic disposal privately behind closed doors coupled with public persuasion [72].…”

“…Japanese authorities make decisions for their people, impeding public support. This democratic deficit resembles the USA DOE's loss of public trust in the mid-1980s [72]. Japan is focused not on stakeholder involvement but risk communication.…”

Les japonais en ligne : le prisme des générations et des classes sociales

“…Un exemple est le mouvement anti-nucléaire. Ses membres se font entendre en ligne, mais ne disposant pas de canal légitime pour influencer les prises de décision dans l'appareil administratif, leur impact est négligeable (Lawless et al, 2009). Si l'usage de la perspective générationnelle peut sembler arbitraire, il n'est toutefois pas totalement irraisonnable.…”