Conference on legislative support of nuclear and radiation safety held in Murmansk

20.02.2007 // Press service of Rosenergoatom

On Feb 20 2007 Murmansk hosted a conference on the legislative support of nuclear and radiation safety and the fulfillment of relevant programs by the example of Murmansk region

The conference was organized by the State Duma Committee on Ecology and the Government of Murmansk region. Attending the event were the chairman of the State Duma Committee on Ecology V. Chrachev, the deputy head of Rosatom A. Malyshev, the deputy governor of Murmansk region A. Selin, the deputy head of the Federal Medical-Biological Agency V. Romanov, State Duma deputies, representatives of Rosatom, Rosenergoatom, the Government of Murmansk region, heads of Murmansk companies and organizations.

While opening the conference, the chairman of the State Duma Committee on Ecology Vladimir Grachev said: «Today, it is extremely important — practically, psychologically and politically — to resolve the problems of nuclear and radiation safety. „Today, there is no other ecologically safe way to develop energy. However, any radiation danger, any incident may turn against nuclear energy and lead to a global energy crisis.“

In this light, the conferees noted that under large-scale nuclear energy development nuclear and radiation safety will become a priority direction in protecting the environment and ensuring sustainable development.

Experts say that in the last years the radiation and nuclear situation in nuclear territories has been calm, the emission of radioactive matters has been within norm. It should be noted that the emissions of NPPs have no negative impact on the environment.

However, the arms race and the active nuclear tests and emissions during the period of nuclear industry formation have resulted in the pollution of some territories. Today, many nuclear and radioactive facilities, mostly of military purpose, should be stopped or made ecologically safe.

Murmansk region hosts a big number of radioactive facilities that are subject to stoppage. The most urgent problem of the region today is the need to dispose of its nuclear ships and related radioactive waste. „Considering the state of the nuclear complex, the Government of the region, in cooperation with Rosatom, is conducting a consistent nuclear and radiation safety policy. The international community is actively helping in the matter,“ the first deputy governor of Murmansk region Alexander Selin said.

The conferees decided to support Rosatom’s Federal Target Program „Nuclear and Radiation Safety in 2008–2015“ as it offers solutions to the most urgent nuclear and radiation safety problems of Murmansk region. The conferees approved the program for the disposal of nuclear submarines and ships located in Murmansk region and decided to recommend the local authorities to consider setting up a facility for waste conditioning and long-term storage and the Federal Assembly and Government to adopt a number of bills and technical regulations concerning nuclear and radiation safety.