MINSK, 9 September (BelTA) – Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko has instructed the Energy Ministry to study possible approaches to the management of radioactive waste, BelTA learned from Energy Minister Viktor Karankevich on 9 September.
Viktor Karankevich said: “Radioactive waste in Belarus is generated by healthcare, manufacturing sector, science, and other areas where ionizing sources of radiation are used. There is also the matter of the Belarusian nuclear power plant. The president has instructed to additionally analyze what radioactive waste is generated now, what the special enterprise Ekores stores, and what there will be in the future. It is necessary to study possible approaches and technologies for managing radioactive waste and make a separate report on it. The Energy Ministry has been instructed to organize this work.”
BelTA reported earlier that the matter of management of radioactive waste was raised during a meeting of Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko with top officials of the Council of Ministers on 9 September.
Aleksandr Lukashenko reminded: “We have created a new industry with the Belarusian nuclear power plant in the country virtually from scratch. We will need to get rid of nuclear waste – spent fuel – any day now. It is extremely dangerous stuff but very valuable. This is why I gave instructions to build a reliable system for managing this kind of waste and create the relevant infrastructure in Belarus.”
The president said he wanted a clear decision on the best way for managing this waste and what agency will take care of it in the end. “Belarusians need to rest assured that no radiation will appear in the territory of the country. It is the main thing!” he stressed.
