the Report is called “Depleted uranium hexafluoride: the current situation, the safe management and prospects.” His presentation, expert presentations and answers to questions took the form of a video conference so the place of action equally possible to consider Moscow, Oslo, Ekaterinburg, Snezhinsk, Zelenogorsk, and another dozen cities where they live and work, experts involved in the preparation of this analytical document.
It is dedicated, it would seem, quite narrow and specific topic in Russia and other countries are developing their nuclear technology, do we plan to do with the so-called “otvorenim” uranium. That is what remains in the enterprises after the initial phase of dressing materials.
the report’s Authors have aimed in an accessible form professionally exactly to explain, “what is the most difficult and problematic material titled OGPU, and also to describe the whole process of dealing with him.” And thus, quote, “to help interested public to get answers to some important questions.”
Most of questions or two. First – understanding: ohfu – it is suitable for waste or recycling raw materials? The second follows from the first: if the waste, then by what right from abroad, taking them to Russia? And if the raw materials are, who and what its processing is the use?
the Head of EPTS “Bellona” and a member of the Public Council of Rosatom, Alexander Nikitin, presented the report as one of the sponsors, described the reason for the increased interest and concern about ohfu the lack of objective and timely information about the technology. To remedy the situation, the Commission on ecology of the Public Council of Rosatom has established a working group. In addition to experts of the atomic it invited the activists of several environmental organizations, including the Russian branch of Greenpeace, the Association “Bellona”, Rsoes, as well as representatives of educational and scientific institutions.
– ogfu is a valuable raw material, not radioactive waste, – said, wanting to dispel someone’s doubts, another author of the report, engineer-physicist Oleg Muratov. And immediately warned that this substance is potentially toxic, “therefore, is stored in a secure thick-walled containers, designed for extreme mechanical and corrosion”.
senior research fellow, Institute of industrial ecology Ural branch of RAS Alexey Ekidin, who previously played in the pages of “RG”, once again confirmed that the secondary use of depleted uranium greatly decreases the cost of extraction, conversion, transportation and all the necessary infrastructure when working with natural uranium. And does not create new tails and dumps.
His colleague Nikolai Gorin, a leading researcher at RFNC – VNIITF (Snezhinsk, Celebi��Skye area), in the earlier article noted that large amounts of accumulated OGPU, as well as special storage conditions prompted Rosatom to develop a special program for the safe handling of depleted uranium hexafluoride.
“the Main problem, – the expert, – the systematic reduction of its reserves, and then their complete elimination”.
At the conference, and the report itself explicitly stated that the import to Russia of depleted uranium hexafluoride from abroad does not contradict the law and does not represent danger to the population in those places where it is produced storage and processing.
“According to Russian law, which contains the definition and clarification of the term “radioactive waste”, OGPU cannot be categorized as RW, and the legislation of the Russian Federation, prohibit the importation into the territory of Russia RAO, and moral standards, which some environmental activists are not violated. The only problem that is facing by the enterprises engaged in transportation, storage and processing of OGPU to ensure the safety of these processes.”
“In the current situation on the uranium market using OGPU as a resource for uranium and fluorinated products can be economically justified because the cost of separation plants low enough… To evaluate the commercial efficiency of the use of OGPU in fast reactors will be required to determine how successfully will develop in this direction. At the moment to make any definite conclusions prematurely.”
“currently in the world has accumulated more than 2 million tons OGPU. Half of the total accumulated global volume is located on the territory of Russia. Most of the volume of the rich tailings of former years it is planned to dialogicity. The other part, taking into account the chemical and Toxicological hazards of ollu, will be transferred in a stable, chemically resistant form, safe for long-term storage and convenient for further use in various industries, including nuclear”.
the Full report is available .
