UMP JSC starts designing a project

UMP JSC starts designing a project on solid radioactive waste (SRW) disposal in the territory of the former nuclear test site in Semipalatinsk.

The project will be implemented in the frames of the signed Memorandum of Cooperation in the environment protection sphere among the Ministry of Ecology, Geology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Kazakhstan, JSC National Atomic Company Kazatomrpom and Ulba Metallurgical Plant JSC. Project mission is to reduce technological environmental impact. The construction is scheduled to complete in 2028. The project is designed for a period of 75 years of operation. After 2028 UMP JSC will terminate to place SRW in the existing tailing pond.

Board Chairman of Kazatomprom, Galymzhan Pirmatov (pictured) emphasized during signing of the memorandum: «Industrial safety and environmental protection remains as No. 1 priority for Kazatomprom. The company will continue to implement measures aimed at improving the culture of industrial safety, an open and honest dialogue with all interested parties. In 2019 there were not industrial accidents at Kazatomprom enterprises». A series of structures would be designed and constructed to dispose SRW in Semipalatinsk nuclear test site. Each of structures will look like an underground monolith reinforced concrete bunker with bottoms 10 meters deep from the surface. Inner space of the bunker shall be separated with tight partitions into compartments. Every bunker compartment will have a feed gate with tight reinforced concrete lid to avoid any moisture inside the compartment. A surface around the bunkers will have a coating of bitumen concrete. The structures will have a water-proof layer to avoid any underground and surface water. Radiation monitoring will be performed during loading SRW into bunker compartments. Upon loading the structure will be sealed, filled with loose soil as thick as no less than 0.6 meter and coated with bitumen concrete.

The lots collected for disposal will be delivered with specific vehicles in the sealed containers. Initial package would help to avoid any contaminants penetrating the atmosphere and the surrounding territory during SRW unloading from the containers.

The project provides for the compliance of all legal requirements and is aimed to provide for the environmental safety of the region.

Newspaper «Rudnyi Altai » №23, 27.02.2020.