IPPA: Implementing Public Participation Approaches in Radioactive Waste Disposal

Project Dates: 01/01/2011 – 31/12/2013

Project Status: Finished

Project Website: http://ippa-toolbox.oeko.de/

The IPPA project aimed to assess and evaluate existing research results and other experiences for implementation in order to provide feedback with a view to informing the direction of further research. The framework of the “Implementing Geological Disposal of Radioactive Waste Technology Platform” (IGD-TP) was identified as a suitable forum in which to investigate these issues further, therefore emphasis was given to linking IPPA results to the development of the platform.

IPPA consisted of five work packages.

Work Package 1 provided participants with information and an overview of theoretical achievements and practical experiences, both from research and national programmes, that should be valuable when organizing activities and arenas for participation and transparency. An information package on basic approaches was produced for thispurpose.

In Work Package 2, the RISCOM Model and other approaches to public involvement were implemented in five radioactive waste management (rwm) programmes in Central and Eastern European countries. The practical implementation activities varied between countries, as the status of the programmes, national and local factors, and issues of debate differed.

In Work Package 3, certain issues of common interest for all countries and for groups of countries were investigated and communicated with municipalities in participating countries.

In Work Package 5 a review of activities in Work Package 2 was conducted in order to provide feedback to these activities and also to the European knowledge base for processes of participation and transparency.

In Work Package 6, the dissemination of IPPA approaches and results took place; a project website was developed and maintained, and an End Users Conferences was organised.