(29) Disposal concepts for short lived low and intermediate level waste vary from near surface disposal (in buildings, shallow burial or burial down to a few tens of metres below the surface) to state-of-the-art disposal in geologic repositories 70 to 100 metres underground.

There is a very broad international consensus amongst technical experts that geological disposal is the most suitable method for long-term management of the most hazardous forms of solid and solidified radioactive waste.

With regard to whether the application made by Bulgaria meets the financial and technical criteria laid down by the Commission, and whether the Commission considers the technology selected to fulfil all the necessary requirements from an environmental and financial-economic standpoint with a view to co-financing of the project, it should be pointed out that the technical assessment of Bulgaria's application by the Commission has confirmed the viability of the first substantial components of the new waste management system, namely an adequate long-term landfill capacity and the facilities for composting.

The proposal advocates the geological disposal of high-activity waste - the safest technique given the state of the art. The proposal for a Directive requires the Member States to adopt, according to a pre-established timetable, national programmes for the disposal of radioactive waste, comprising in particular the deep disposal of high-activity waste.

This proposal gives priority to geological burial of waste as the safest method of disposal known at present.

As to the point about deep burial and technical safety, it's good that you clarified the point, but I don't think it's an issue today, because the process will decide which mechanism.