The Town of the XXI Century
Series of reports on ecological situation in Central Asia

RADIOACTIVE WASTE

On the way to development of the nuclear law

Murat Ahmetov, head of the radiation security department of the Nuclear Energy Agency of the National Academy of Sciences Ministry of Science, says that Kazakhstani specialists working in the sphere of utilization of nuclear energy and radioactive materials mainly use the legal requirements established in the former Soviet Union. By the way, in the former Soviet Union there were no special law regulating the use of nuclear energy and radioactive materials. There were only departmental instructions, which had a seal "only for internal use".

Development of the sovereign states brought the new influences into the formerly secret sphere - CIS countries started to develop the legal foundations regulating the use of nuclear energy and radioactive materials.

For example, in Russia the State Duma adopted the federal laws "On radioactive security of the people" (December 5, 1995), "On the use of nuclear energy" (October 20, 1995). Similar laws are currently reviewed in Belarus.

"We have come to the conclusion that for the beginning Kazakhstan needs a basic framework law, which can regulate all of the main aspects related to the use of nuclear energy and radioactive materials. Based on this law it will be possible to further develop a series of the, so called, second level laws, which can regulate certain aspects", - says Murat Ahmetov.

In the beginning of February Mazhilis adopted the project of the law "On the use of nuclear energy in the Republic of Kazakhstan". A lot of discussions were caused by the article stating that nuclear energy objects can be state or privately owned. Minister of science and new technologies, president of the National Academy of Sciences , Mr. Shkolnik says that realities of the market economy push us toward private ownership of the nuclear energy objects. It seems that the members of the Parliament were convinced and the law was adopted in its original version. In future the project of the law "On the use of nuclear energy in the Republic of Kazakhstan" will become the fundamental document for the Kazakhstani nuclear specialists. While the law was prepared, Kazakhstani specialists used the experience of nuclear laws development in Russian Federation, nuclear energy laws adopted in Germany and Finland. The law was also tested by the specialists of the International Nuclear Energy Agency, nuclear energy agency of the organization for economic cooperation and development (head-quarters are located in Paris). By the way, in May of 1997 a regional seminar for specialists from central Asian countries will be held in Almaty an will cover the nuclear security issues. Mr. Ahmetov says that after the framework law is adopted, the new aide field of legislative activities will be opened. Particularly , for development of the laws regulating issues related to radioactive wastes, radioactive security of the people, etc.

Monitoring and regulation - the way to the right use of nuclear energy

The attitudes of the society toward radiation vary: from "do not notice" (really it can not be seen) to radio phobia. Of course, it is possible and it is necessary to destroy the fears and suspicions - household measurement devices are sold in stores and can be used for individual control and measurement of radiation. However, if the device was not tested and approved by the laboratory of standardization and certification of radioactivity measurement devices (the laboratory is located in Kapchagai) results of its measurements can not be reviewed by official organs. Unfortunately, currently many government organizations and agencies do not have the funds to do the certification and consequently their measurements can be characterized by the Nuclear Energy Agency as "unreliable".

The use of nuclear energy is very attractive since production of it is not related to significant expenses. However, people in the developed countries know that the consequences of the improper use can be dangerous and that is why special state service must be created to monitor observation of the appropriate security guidelines. In many countries such services are granted a very high status: for example, in Russia State Nuclear Monitoring Agency (Gosatomnadzor) is responsible directly to the President of the country. Nuclear Regulation Commission of te United States is responsible to the Congress. So, the monitoring and regulating agencies are removed as far from the executive organs as possible to prevent interference of the latter ones with the activities of the monitoring services.

In Kazakhstan monitoring of the nuclear energy use is carried out by three state organs - Ministry of health care, Ministry of ecology and biological resources, Nuclear Energy Agency. Specialists of the Nuclear Energy Agency consider that it can be beneficial to create a single organ (like it has been done in Russia) to control all issues related to monitoring and rgulation.