For these reasons we oppose the burial concept planned for Konrad Mine. The alternative we are presenting here does not offer a final solution to the problem of nuclear waste. But it can be the least immoral way for us to pass on what we cannot undo. This is the official policy the German government is pursuing here, and it is basic also to options discussed elsewhere in the world, such as sea-bed submersion and disposal in Arctic ice. Konrad Mine will be closed down after the storage tunnels have been filled, and the waste-containers will be inaccessible, even to managing personnel.
Guardianship involves active, on-going monitoring of the wastes.
Leaking containers will be detected and retrievable for repair or exchange. With final burial of radioactive materials all technical decisions and arrangements must be made beforehand. Guardianship allows that. With the Konrad Mine, surface markers are not foreseen, because they could motivate future excavation out of archeological interest or for treasure. According to the guardianship concept, the visibility of the sites and presence of guards and monitors ensures protection.