Belarus delivers radioactive waste management report at IAEA review meeting
15:19, 20 March
Photo: BELTA
Head of the Department for Nuclear and Radiation Safety of the Emergencies Ministry of Belarus (Gosatomnadzor) Olga Lugovskaya presented Belarus’ eighth national report on the implementation of the Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management since 2021 at the eighth meeting of contracting parties to review compliance with the convention held at the IAEA Headquarters in Vienna, Gosatomnadzor told BelTA.
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The report emphasized that Belarus’ policy for managing spent nuclear fuel is based on the national legislation and international treaties that Belarus is a party to. State policy on radioactive waste management is carried out in accordance with a strategy that outlines key areas and approaches to making management decisions, prioritizing safety, technical optimization and cost-effectiveness.
Olga Lugovskaya spoke about the developments in Belarus since the previous report. Following the referendum decision of 27 February 2022, the Constitution of Belarus enshrined the country's commitment to peaceful nuclear energy development. The country adopted a new law on safe use of nuclear energy. It formally establishes Gosatomnadzor’s status as the state regulatory authority in this area. Moreover, the presidential decree on improving the system of radioactive waste management designated the Emergencies Ministry as the state body governing radioactive waste management.
The report also addressed practical aspects of radioactive waste management in Belarus and outlined objectives for the near future. These include identifying suitable waste management technologies, selecting site, designing and constructing a waste disposal facility.
