Remediating contaminated uranium mining legacy sites presents a number of environmental challenges. The IAEA works closely with its Member States in the field of environmental remediation by sharing information on available remediation strategies, technologies and management options, and by helping them to adopt the best practices required to address their existing environmental issues.
From 25 to 26 January 2018, representatives from Member States participating in an ongoing IAEA technical cooperation (TC) regional project[1] met to gauge the level of cooperation and coordination between their national remediation programmes, and to identify further needs for the improvement of remediation activities through capacity building and information exchange.
Instructors from the ROSATOM Technical Academy in Obninsk, Russian Federation, also took part in the meeting, and presented the outcome of three training courses organized in 2016 and 2017 by the IAEA. These courses helped technical staff involved in remediation and monitoring activities gain management and technical competencies, and promoted effective regional collaboration to resolve environmental remediation issues. Bakhtiyor Barotov (Head – Scientific and Technical Services Department, Tajikistan Nuclear and Radiation Safety Agency) said “The teaching methodology and practical exercises addressed a number of our national needs. The skills and knowledge we acquired will help deliver on our national action plan for remediation.”
Finally, proposed activities for 2018 were discussed and a scheduling plan was prepared for approval by all Member States involved in this project, which began in 2016 and is estimated to extend until 2020.
[1] RER9145 ‘Supporting Human Resource Capacity Building for Developing and Implementing Integrated Programmes for Remediation of the Areas Affected by Uranium Mining’
