Tashkent has become the venue for the 26th meeting of the CIS states commission dealing with issues of the peaceful use of atomic energy. At the meeting, reported by a correspondent from "Gazeta," discussions focused on low-power reactors, the reclamation of uranium waste, as well as the role of atomic energy in the disposal of pesticides and batteries.
Delegates from the atomic industry of Uzbekistan, Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan participated in the meeting.
Nozim Mukhsinov, Deputy Director of the Atomic Energy Agency of Uzbekistan, noted in his welcoming speech that holding such an event in Uzbekistan highlights the country's active participation in the international dialogue on nuclear energy issues.
Ensuring Safety is a Top Priority
Azamat Mambetov, the acting chairman of the commission and first deputy head of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Kyrgyzstan, emphasized the importance of adhering to high safety standards in the development of atomic energy. He stated: "Our task is to ensure the creation of safe, efficient, and environmentally friendly solutions that will serve the benefit of our peoples."
Nozim Mukhsinov also mentioned that Uzbekistan is actively working on forming a positive public opinion about the atomic industry and the project for building a nuclear power plant. He added that public hearings on this project are scheduled for December 23. According to him, the country is also developing the peaceful use of atomic energy in civilian areas, including nuclear medicine for the diagnosis and treatment of oncological diseases, as well as radiation technologies in agriculture.
Ilkhom Nematov, Deputy Secretary General of the CIS, spoke about the new format of the "CIS Plus" Council, approved at a recent summit in Dushanbe. He noted that this opens up opportunities for establishing business contacts with international organizations involved in atomic energy.
The Topic of Small Reactors and Waste
Although the meeting was held behind closed doors, some key points were shared with journalists. Azamat Mambetov reported that one of the issues discussed was the use of low-power nuclear reactors, which are already being utilized in Russia and could be implemented in Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan. "Many countries are already transitioning to this type of energy," he noted.
Participants also reviewed an intergovernmental program for the reclamation of territories affected by uranium mining and approved a report on the implementation of the action plan for 2021-2025 as part of CIS cooperation in the field of peaceful atomic energy until 2030.
The discussion on the application of nuclear technologies in Tashkent touched on long-term environmental and technological issues. In particular, the accumulated stockpiles of unused pesticides, which amount to 25,000 tons in Central Asia and about 20,000 tons in Russia, were addressed. Azamat Mambetov emphasized that these substances pose a threat to ecosystems.
"The issue of creating a landfill for the disposal of unused pesticides was discussed, which requires a competent approach," he added.
The second important topic was the rapid spread of electric transport, raising the question of recycling lithium batteries. "Conditions are being created in the region for the recycling of batteries and the production of new accumulators. Without scientific foundations in this direction, it will be impossible to achieve progress," concluded Azamat Mambetov.
Source: gazeta.uz
