Uzbekistan’s radioactive waste storage capacity could run out within 4–5 years

Uzbekistan's capacity for storing radioactive waste is projected to be exhausted within the next four to five years. This critical issue was brought to light on August 18 during a session of the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis, as legislators reviewed a preliminary bill concerning radioactive waste management.

Sardorbek Yakubekov, deputy chairman of the committee, reported that four out of the ten storage facilities at the Republican Center for Radioactive Waste Storage are already at full capacity. The remaining facilities are between 50% and 92% occupied. Yakubekov stated, "Four of the center’s 10 storage facilities are already full, while the others are 50% to 92% occupied. The remaining capacity should be enough to receive radioactive waste for another four to five years."

Currently, approximately 176 entities in Uzbekistan utilize radioactive sources, with about 2,500 sources actively in use. Spent radioactive sources are subsequently transferred to the Republican Center for Radioactive Waste Storage.

As Uzbekistan expands its nuclear sector, including the construction of new nuclear power facilities, the government aims to establish a comprehensive legal framework for managing radioactive waste.

**Proposed Legislation to Regulate the Entire Radioactive Waste Cycle**

The draft law seeks to establish regulations encompassing the complete lifecycle of radioactive waste, from its generation and processing to storage, transportation, and ultimate disposal.

Comprising six chapters and 48 articles, the proposed legislation would define safety requirements, delineate the powers of state bodies, establish the rights and responsibilities of individuals and organizations, and implement the "polluter pays" principle.

Furthermore, the bill provides for public involvement, adherence to international standards, and the creation of a national operator responsible for radioactive waste management. It also sets forth requirements for the selection of sites, design, construction, commissioning, operation, and decommissioning of facilities involved in radioactive waste management.

The government asserts that this law would not necessitate additional state budget funding. The draft has undergone coordination with 31 ministries and government agencies, subjected to public consultation, and received a favorable scientific assessment from the Institute of Nuclear Physics of the Academy of Sciences.

**Addressing the Legacy of Uranium Waste**

Lawmakers also addressed the environmental impact of Uzbekistan's Soviet-era uranium industry.

Yakubekov noted that between 1964 and 1994, operations by the Navoi Mining and Metallurgical Company resulted in the accumulation of over 57 million tonnes of uranium waste at the tailings facility of Hydrometallurgical Plant No. 1.

From 2023 to 2025, uranium legacy sites in Yangiabad and Charkesar underwent rehabilitation, supported by a €9 million grant from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

However, Yakubekov highlighted that the absence of a legal framework for the long-term monitoring of buried radioactive waste restricts the potential for further rehabilitation of similar sites, including projects that could secure EBRD financing.

Despite operating a nuclear research reactor and currently constructing its first nuclear power plant, Uzbekistan currently lacks dedicated legislation comprehensively regulating radioactive waste management, according to the report presented to lawmakers.

**Questions Arise Regarding Radioactive Waste Ownership**

The draft law was developed referencing International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) standards, international conventions, relevant European Union directives, and legislation from various countries.

Information presented during the parliamentary session indicated that 81 of the IAEA’s 181 member states have enacted specific legislation for radioactive waste management.

The Uzbek draft incorporates insights from the experiences of the United States, Belgium, Germany, France, Sweden, South Korea, Russia, and Kazakhstan. Six foreign experts from international organizations and regulatory bodies in Italy, Spain, Lithuania, and Russia, alongside eight Uzbek specialists from ministries and government agencies, also contributed assessments during the drafting process.

During the discussion, lawmaker Zafar Khudoyberdiyev raised concerns about a potential inconsistency between two provisions of the draft.

One provision refers to "orphan radioactive waste," while another stipulates that radioactive waste containing nuclear materials is exclusively state property.

Yakubekov clarified that "orphan waste" includes, among other things, sites abandoned by uranium mining operations during the Soviet era.

He further explained the provision on state ownership under Article 36: organizations generating radioactive waste may temporarily store it on their premises until it is transferred to a specialized long-term storage facility in Parkent district. The specialized permanent storage facility itself would be state-owned.

The bill's authors agreed to review this and other contested provisions before submitting the draft for its second reading.

Following the discussion, the Legislative Chamber approved the bill in its first reading.