Members of the UK's Committee on Radioactive Waste Management (CoRWM) recently visited Sweden's radioactive waste facilities at Forsmark and Clab to learn from their progress in geological disposal. The visit highlighted Sweden's long-standing approach to public engagement and local investment in the development of these sites.
At the Forsmark nuclear site, where a repository for short-lived radioactive wastes has been operational since 1988, construction for a deep geological spent fuel repository began in 2025. Swedish hosts explained that initial public engagement involved asking municipalities how a spent nuclear fuel repository could affect them, leading to detailed socio-economic surveys to identify mutual interests between the industry and residents.
These interests included investment in roads, jobs, education, and healthcare for residents, while the industry sought to understand infrastructure logistics and supply chains. Site offices with 30 to 40 personnel were established in each location, providing municipalities with long-term demographic and economic forecasts.
Excavated rock from the sites is re-used for local infrastructure, such as new roads and foundations for accommodation, and is also sold as premium aggregate. This has attracted new industries to the areas and contributed to increased tourism and associated revenues, particularly at the Oskarshamn site.
Local engagement staff were recruited at both Forsmark and Clab, with a commitment to developing relationships with schools and community organisations. Local concerns focused on issues such as disturbance, traffic, noise, employment, and education, alongside a strong interest in how residents could be involved in the projects.