Emergencies Ministry to be in charge of radioactive waste management in Belarus

Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko signed Decree No. 427 “On the improvement of the system of radioactive waste management” on 2 November.

In accordance with the decree, the Emergencies Ministry of Belarus will be in charge of radioactive waste management. The ministry will implement the state policy, including in science and technology, coordinate the operation of state bodies, ensure the fulfillment of international obligations, and submit the strategy of radioactive waste management to the Council of Ministers.

This strategy will be developed by the Department for Nuclear and Radiation Safety of the Emergencies Ministry. The department will also organize and coordinate the scientific and methodological support, ensure the development of regulations for the operation of radioactive waste storage and burial facilities, make up a register of radioactive waste storage and burial facilities.

The department will also calculate the predicted volume of radioactive waste using the corresponding data of the previous years, harmonize the scheme of radioactive waste management, organize radioactive waste administration.

The Energy Ministry will organize the operation of the system of long-term radioactive waste storage and burial, including by means of setting up a corresponding organization – a national operator for radioactive waste management. Proposals on the order and sources of financing of the events in the field of radioactive waste management will be submitted to the Council of Ministers.