Japan's Nuclear Waste Management Organisation has begun the initial stage of assessing two municipalities in Hokkaido Prefecture for their suitability to host a final disposal facility for high-level radioactive waste. This marks the first time such preliminary surveys have ever been conducted in the country.

The Canadian government has launched an engagement process to "modernise" the country's radioactive waste policy. At the same time, it has asked the Nuclear Waste Management Organisation to lead a dialogue to develop an integrated strategy for Canada's radioactive waste.

Canadian Nuclear Laboratories has completed the excavation and transfer of historic low-level radioactive waste away from the Lake Ontario shoreline to a new long-term waste management facility. The waste removal marks a milestone for the Port Hope Area Initiative, which CNL is implementing through its Historic Waste Program Management Office on behalf of Atomic Energy of Canada Limited.

Finland's Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority has notified the authorities in charge of radiation safety in the countries that have supplied the country with uranium for its nuclear power plants of Finland's intention to begin the final disposal of used nuclear fuel in the mid-2020s. Normal verification inspections of nuclear materials cannot be performed once the materials have been finally disposed of, and so procedures related to such inspections must be specified before the initiation of final disposal.

Holtec International's canister-based dry used fuel storage technology is set to be deployed in Japan following its signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with Hitachi-GE Nuclear Energy. Holtec said its technology provides an alternative option to the technologies currently used in Japan.

Canada's Nuclear Waste Management Organisation has shared a map showing the potential deep geological repository site in South Bruce, Ontario. The organisation has now secured just over 1500 acres (600 hectares) of land to conduct its studies.

In what Svensk Kärnbränslehantering AB describes as a "historic decision", the municipal council of Östhammar yesterday voted in favour of its planned repository for used nuclear fuel at Forsmark. The final decision to authorise the project will now be made by the Swedish government.

Germany has published a list of potential storage sites for radioactive waste. The list, from waste management organisation Bundesgesellschaft für Endlagerung, follows parliament's approval three years ago for a science-based search for a site. It identifies 90 areas covering 54% of the country's surface area as potentially geologically suitable.

Ontario Power Generation's Centre for Canadian Nuclear Sustainability has announced a collaboration agreement between Laurentis Energy Partners and BWXT Canada to develop technology that will assist in the recycling of heavy water at OPG's nuclear facilities. Canada's Candu pressurised heavy water reactors use unenriched, or "natural", uranium oxide fuel and heavy water as both the moderator to slow down neutrons in the reactor's core and as the reactor coolant.

Sweden's radioactive waste management company generally meets the legal requirements for ensuring the safe operation of the central interim storage facility for used nuclear fuel (Clab) at Oskarshamn and the SFR repository for low and intermediate-level waste at Forsmark, the regulator said. The Radiation Safety Authority said Svensk Kärnbränslehantering AB can therefore continue to operate the facilities until the next overall assessment in 2028.

An Australian Senate committee has recommended that Parliament pass legislation that would make Napandee in South Australia the site for a low and medium-level nuclear waste facility. The Senate Standing Committee on Economics issued its final report on the provisions of the National Radioactive Waste Management Amendment (Site Specification, Community Fund and Other Measures) Bill 2020 on 14 September.

The State Nuclear Regulatory Inspectorate of Ukraine has issued a permit to SSE Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant to start commissioning work at the Chernobyl Interim Spent Nuclear Fuel Storage Facility, which upon loading will be the world's largest dry storage installation.