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Authorities in the Russian town of Tomsk are accused of storing radioactive waste from power stations in a nearby closed town. The allegation surfaced after a French newspaper and documentary accused energy producer EDF of sending nuclear waste to Siberia. The images here supposedly show the sights where the alleged waste is being stored. The documentary claims nuclear waste is sent to this region where it’s then kept in mental containers in a car park.
Allegations, the authorities deny.
I have reliable information that there is no nuclear waste or spent nuclear fuel in Tomsk region or in Russia. None was delivered and none will be delivered.
The world's largest nuclear energy producer also said on Monday its nuclear waste is stocked and processed in France, but environmental group say otherwise. They say Moscow is aware of the situation and nothing is being done to stop it.
Kiriyenko said he had analyzed this question and was not ready to sign new contracts for bringing in degraded uranium, because it is not commercially viable and promised these contracts would end in 2009, but as far as I know, they are still bringing it in.
EDF insist it's only the recycled uranium which is sent to Russia for enrichment. Under European laws, recycled uranium or plutonium isn't considered to be nuclear waste, but is classed as radioactive material.
Basmah Fahim, Reuters.