The German federal government’s decision to authorize the transport of Castor casks to the interim storage facility in Ahaus has drawn sharp criticism from within the police force.
Patrick Schlüter, the North Rhine-Westphalia state chairman of the German Police Union (GdP), told the “Rheinische Post” that the decision represents a deferral of the crucial question of final nuclear waste disposal, opting instead for a series of transfers between interim storage locations. He characterized this approach as convenient for politicians but ultimately failing to address the underlying responsibility.
Schlüter warned that these transports present substantial challenges for the police, citing both existing high workloads and deteriorating infrastructure. He also highlighted the uncertainty surrounding potential public protest, emphasizing the need for preparedness in all scenarios.
The GdP has expressed doubts that the two-year timeframe stipulated in the authorization will be sufficient to complete the transports. Furthermore, Schlüter stated the union feels this state government has not adequately advocated for relieving the police of what he described as a “senseless mammoth task”. He raised the issue of the casks having remained in Jülich without authorization for over a decade, questioning the rationale behind their current relocation to Ahaus and stating he has yet to receive a convincing explanation.