Long-term safety case

"Long-term safety documentation is to show that the construction (if applicable), the operation and the after-care phase of a mine, where wastes shall be disposed of, will have no negative effects on the biosphere.." This quotation from the Stowage Ordinance also applies to a repository for radioactive waste. By combining all analyses and arguments, the long-term safety case establishes the safety of the post-operational phase of the repository. 

One element of the long-term safety case is the long-term safety analysis. In it, the future evolution of a repository is examined and the possible future radiation exposure at the repository site is determined. In addition, the long-term safety case also contains further justifications for the robustness and reliability of the safety assessment.

In most cases, the term "long-term safety case" is used for the entirety of the documents required to demonstrate the long-term safety of a repository for radioactive waste. An existing or "furnished" long-term safety case is thus not to be confused with an official confirmation in a licensing procedure. Its preparation can also be useful outside a licensing situation to support a decision-making process (e.g. in a legislative procedure).