nuclear-news

Russian Regulators Warn Nuclear Safety Undercut by Economic Crisis

Environment News Service MOSCOW, Russia, December 24, 2008 (ENS) – The safety of Russia’s nuclear industry is being negatively affected by the country’s economic crisis and the situation is expected to to worsen in 2009, according to a newly released annual report by the Russian nuclear regulatory body Rostekhnadzor
Ongoing job cuts at nuclear facilities include the personnel directly responsible for safety control, states the report by Rostekhnadzor, which is responsible for licensing and safety at Russia’s 31 operating nuclear power plants and the eight more under construction……………………………

Russia is in deep economic trouble with the myriad of unsolved problems in nuclear power industry.

One problem with both public health and economic implications is the growing amounts of radioactive waste of various types, including uranium tailings and spent nuclear fuel stored throughout the country.

The Rostekhnadzor report warns that there is “significant risk” of the containers breaking open and leaking the uranium tailings inside – radioactive and highly toxic waste resulting from uranium enrichment…………………………

According to independent estimates, there are over 700.000 tons of uranium tailings stored across Russia in very poor condition with high risk of radioactive and toxic leakages to the environment.

All across the country, the amount of radioactive waste is growing; it is kept in inadequate storage

Lax regulations allow radioactive waste on icy highways

KVAL.com 24 Dec 08 LA GRANDE, Ore. — Oregon’s senior senator says lax regulations allowed a truck hauling low-level radioactive waste to travel icy Interstate 84 and jack-knife Monday afternoon…………………… Ron Wyden, D-Ore., said in a statement. “Nevertheless, that truck never should have been allowed to travel through Oregon in those conditions…………………Wyden called on the U.S. Department of Energy, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and the U.S. Department of Transportation to develop rules for the transportation of all radioactive wastes during inclement weather. Wyden wants the agencies to require notification of local communities when radioactive waste shipments are sent and to give states more authority to regulate transportation of nuclear waste on their own highways.