1,500-foot-deep underground tunnel to remain closed to humans for 100,000 years; it is located in…, why the world is surprised?

Finland has constructed a 1500-foot-deep tunnel beneath the surface of earth to store the nuclear waste. The country will close the tunnel for 100,000 years from 2025 for humans. This will be the first storage facility in the world where the country will store its nuclear waste.

The facility has been constructed in Eurajoki, the west coast of Finland. The move by Finland is being seen as a historic step to store the nuclear waste and it could be an inspiration for other nations too. 

According to a report published in THE Sun, the underground tunnel is 1480-foot-deep. No human will get access for 100000 years from 2025. The cost of the project is £860 million and it is named ‘Onkalo’. 

This is a safe technique for storing nuclear waste at a great depth beneath the earth’s surface. The tunnel has been designed to contain radioactive elements for up to 100,000 years, keeping them isolated from the environment. 

It will ensure the safety of both people and the surrounding ecosystem. Advanced scientific techniques and high-quality engineering were used in the construction of ‘Onkalo’ to prevent any leakage of radioactive materials.

The expense of the project is £860 million and it shows the complexity of the project. It provides a safe way to keep the nuclear waste for 100000 years and other countries have also shown their interest to adopt the new technique. 

Posiva Oy, a radioactive waste management company, is manufacturing the disposal system. The spent nuclear waste will be kept inside cast-iron and copper cylinder and then it would be covered in bentonite clay to enclose the canister. The gaps in the tunnel will be filled with swellable clay. Later, the robotic vehicle will carry each canister and it will be taken to canister holes.