Alarm in the Asse nuclear waste storage facility: water is penetrating, movements are increasing!

Alarm in the Asse nuclear waste storage facility: water is penetrating, movements are increasing!

In the dilapidated Asse nuclear waste storage facility near Wolfenbüttel, the alarming movements in the rock have once again caused a stir! The Federal Society for Final Storage (BGE) recorded unusually strong movements in the summer, amounting to up to 5 millimeters per week - a phenomenon never seen before since measurements began in 1981! What is behind these disturbing changes? The culprit is the penetrating salt water, which has been seeping into the mine for years and is now endangering the stability of the deposits.

The BGE explains that these sudden mountain movements could be related to the increased moisture penetration of the supporting material introduced into the southern flank. The situation is tense: around 126,000 barrels of nuclear waste and chemical waste are stored there and are in danger of being put at risk by the penetrating water. Federal Environment Minister Steffi Lemke has already emphasized that nuclear waste must be recovered by 2033 at the latest. But how exactly should this happen when the situation becomes more and more critical?

The BGE assures: Working underground is safe!

Despite the worrying measurements, the BGE gives the all-clear: safe work underground is currently not at risk. Since the end of August, the values ​​have stabilized again and returned to normal measurements. Jens Köhler, BGE's Asse division manager, assures that they are closely monitoring the mine in order to immediately recognize any changes. But the critics won't let up! They demand that the aces be cleared faster before it is too late. The clock is ticking and concerns about waste safety remain. The questions arise: How long can the water be held back? And what happens if the situation escalates?