Successful decision making is open, transparent, and broadly participatory. National waste disposition programs in democratic countries cannot hope to succeed today without a decision-making process that facilitates choices among competing social goals and ethical considerations. Sufficient time must be devoted to developing this process, including the involvement of broader circles of citizens in examining the choices in an informed way. The challenges of such complex decision making can best be met by flexible and adaptive management. A management system that is flexible, responsive to surprises, capable of midcourse corrections, and effective in its interaction with concerned segments of the public has the greatest possibility of success.

International cooperation can help achieve national solutions. Cooperation especially can help less advantaged nations, for example, those with more limited financial means, small nuclear programs, or unfavorable geology. Cooperation can range from shared research programs to shared storage or disposal facilities offered by a host country to other nations. Sharing technology and facilities will reduce the cost burden for all the cooperating nations and will facilitate the establishment of internationally accepted standards. Progress in adopting a solution in one country serves as a positive example to other countries.