EU supports long-term planning of Ukraine’s Geological Disposal for Radioactive Waste 

On 24 March, a National Plan and Implementation Schedule for Radioactive Waste Geological Disposal in Ukraine was presented to stakeholders at an online workshop. The plan was developed under a project financed by the European Union’s Instrument for Nuclear Safety Cooperation.

An estimated 25,000 cubic meters of radioactive waste, much of which resulted from the 1986 accident at the Chernobyl power plant, and up to 14,000 tons of spent nuclear fuel, will need to be buried deep underground in Ukraine. The disposal will protect both people and the environment from the harmful effects of ionising radiation that is emitted from these waste products.

The plan, developed over 30 months by experts from Finland, France, Sweden and Germany, covers activities from the initial siting of a facility for the safe disposal of radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel, through to its eventual closure. The project also provided training to Ukrainian experts and specialists on how to ensure the safe establishment and management of a geological facility.

Since 1991, the European Union has contributed more than €1.05 billion to support Ukraine in its nuclear safety improvement programme.

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Press release