Republic
03.08.2007
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has allocated $337,800 to Belarus for liquidation of nuclear waste depositories located at former military bases, Vladimir Skurat, the head of a laboratory of the Nuclear Research Institute Sosny of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, told a press conference today.
In his words, Belarus has several nuclear depositories in the former military bases. The largest are Kolosovo in the Stolbtsy region of Minsk oblast and Gomel-30 in the Rechitsa region of Gomel oblast where the wastes were kept in concrete vaults. The content of caesium and strontium in ground waters around the abovementioned bases exceeds the accepted norm.
Vladimir Skurat noted that the work is underway to minimize contamination of the territories around Kolosovo and Gomel-30 depositories. Scientists developed a comprehensive technology on extraction and destruction of concrete blocks containing the wastes. All the works will be done by the Emergencies Ministry of Belarus. Other depositories will be destroyed as well.