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Nuclear waste in the Asse: Video shows endangered barrels in chamber 8a!
On December 4, 2025, video recordings from Asse show the condition of radioactive waste in chamber 8a and the upcoming retrieval.
Nuclear waste in the Asse: Video shows endangered barrels in chamber 8a!
There is breaking news in the Asse II mine, which is located deep in the heart of the Wolfenbüttel district: video recordings have now documented the condition of the nuclear waste barrels in chamber 8a. These images, which were taken with a special camera through a borehole at a depth of 511 meters, show yellow-painted barrels, some of which are lying in a pile and are clearly damaged. The water that has been penetrating the salt mine for years has endangered the storage of waste, but the danger appears to have been averted for the time being, according to the responsible authorities. [NDR]. 1972 to 1977 were taken.
Good news came from the Federal Society for Final Storage (BGE), which announced that the barrels were mostly in good condition. They were neither torn open nor was any rubbish strayed into the open air. Despite the deformed barrels caused by falling parts of the chamber construction, the situation shows that retrieval of the waste can now be seriously considered.
Retrieving the waste: a long road
The retrieval of these radioactive barrels is a complex undertaking that faces numerous challenges. According to BGE, the retrieval should begin in 2033 at the earliest, with possible locations for the new storage facility having to be found by the end of 2027. The legal mandate for repatriation has the safety of both operating personnel and the population as the highest priority, and the total costs are estimated at around 4.7 billion euros, which also includes expenses for keeping the facility open and emergency planning. Further information can be found in the repatriation plan, which is available for download as a complete document BGE.
Politicians from all parties are unanimous in their support for the repatriation of nuclear waste. Nevertheless, an official criticizes and emphasizes that the repatriation seems almost impossible. How the situation will continue in detail and what progress will be made towards security remains to be seen.
In total, around 126,000 barrels of radioactive waste are stored in 13 chambers in the Asse. The first steps towards solving this controversial issue have been taken, but the challenge remains gigantic.
These developments in Asse show once again how important responsible decisions are when dealing with costs and safety. The coming years will be crucial in determining how this delicate legacy is handled.