As it was reported by Bellona web pages earlier, the only operational vitrification facility for high level liquid wastes at Mayak reprocessing facility in Siberia, was taken out of operation earlier this year. The facility was 2,5 years past its operational limits.

The first vitrification facility is to be commissioned by the end of the current year, says Kaurov. The second will be finished by the middle of 1998. The project is financed by Minatom, through funds received as a result of selling weapons grade uranium to the US. During the last two years 18 tons of uranium have been shipped to USA. Planned shipments for this year amounts to another 18 tons. The whole deal, lasting until year 2013, is worth 12 billion US dollars.