Eighteen sites were put forward, considered and have now been narrowed down to three. Nature conservation, residential and recreation areas were excluded.

"The evaluation criteria include, for example, the likelihood of tectonic events occurring on the site, the green network, but also whether there are suitable roads leading to the site. And then, in addition to the Paldiski site, the Pedas and Altküla sites were identified," explained Erki Ruben, deputy mayor of Lääne-Harju Municipality.

Studies are now underway at the sites and the choice will become clear by the end of the year. It will hold low or medium levels of radioactive waste.

The existing temporary storage facility for radioactive waste in Paldiski, built by the Soviets in the 1960s, does not meet all modern international environmental and radiation safety requirements. 

But Alari Kruusvall, a specialist at ALARA, which manages the waste repository, said it is still probably safest to build the new storage site in Paldiski.

Approximately 3,000 cubic meters of waste will be placed in the storage facility. Construction is scheduled to start in 2028.

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