Review Meeting of Joint Convention welcomes Belarus’ progress in radioactive waste management

The Fifth Review Meeting of the Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management welcomed Belarus’ overall progress in this area since 2012, BelTA learned from the Belarusian Embassy in Austria.

"The report gives the positive assessment of the country’ progress in developing the national policy on spent fuel and radioactive waste management. The document was prepared following the discussion of the report on Belarus’ current practices and the written replies from the Belarusian delegates to representatives of other states," the Embassy said.

In addition, the report praises Belarus’ commitment to the planning of the approach to the management of spent fuel and waste of the NPP which is under construction, and to the active cooperation with the IAEA, the European Union and the Cooperation Forum of State Nuclear Safety Authorities. A positive review was given to Belarus’ promotion of public research programs on safe management of radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel, and to the interaction of the post-Soviet states in ensuring the safety of the radon-type storage facilities.

The Fifth Review Meeting of the Joint Convention recommended Belarus to continue the work on the development of legislation and regulatory system governing the management of spent fuel and waste of the NPP which is under construction as well as on the national strategy.

The event held in Vienna from 11 to 22 May was attended by the Belarusian delegation led by First Deputy Emergencies Minister Vasily Stepanenko. The delegation also included representatives of the Emergencies Ministry, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Energy Ministry, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment Protection, Health Ministry, the National Academy of Sciences and the Republican unitary enterprise "Belarusian Nuclear Power Plant". The Belarusian specialists took part in the discussion of the national reports of other states, including neighboring countries and the states with the advanced nuclear power programs whose experience may be useful for Belarus in its work on the development of the national policy on spent fuel and radioactive waste management.