Bellona nuclear digest. August 2024
A survey of events in the field of nuclear and radiation safety relating to Russia and Ukraine.
News
Publish date: August 24, 2001
Written by: Thomas Nilsen
Translated by: Marte-Kine Sandengen
News
This picture illustrates one of the five water reservoirs where liquid radioactive waste from the nuclear plant in Mayak in South Ural have been stored since 1951. The five reservoirs are separated with ramparts from the river Tetcha. Every year, 10 million cubic metres of liquid radioactive waste are being dumped in the water reservoirs. Today, about 400 cubic metres of radioactive water are being held back from the river system only by a simple rampart.
In a shocking letter sent to the Russian prime minister, Mikhail Kasyanov, this summer, the district governor of Chelyabinsk, Pyotr Sumin, writes that within three or four years the water reservoirs will have reached their maximum capacity. In the letter, disclosed by the environmental group Ecodefense, Sumin warns about catastrophic consequences.
"One of the biggest and most acute problems is the risk of the ponds giving after and consequently a flood which would inflict serious consequences on the river system leading to Iset, Tobol and Ob."
Photo: Foto: Thomas Nilsen
The map shows the water reservoirs and MayakA survey of events in the field of nuclear and radiation safety relating to Russia and Ukraine.
Kazakhstan voted in a referendum last weekend on whether to build its first nuclear power plant, and an exit poll showed voters backed the idea promoted by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev's cabinet in an effort to phase out coal plants.
In this news digest, we monitor events that impact the environment in the Russian Arctic. Our focus lies in identifying the factors that contribute to pollution and climate change.
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