Regulatory framework in the area of radioactive waste management in the Kyrgyz Republic
A basic law which regulates handling of radiation sources in the Kyrgyz Republic is the Law «On Radiation Safety of the Population of the Kyrgyz Republic» as of 1 August 2003. The law determines the legal relations in the area radiation safety of population and environment protection from the sources of ionized radiation. The second law «On Tailings and Rock Dumps» .is a specific document and concerns all questions of uranium tailings and rock dumps management.
Norms of radiation safety NRS-99, as well as sanitary rules concerning radioactive waste management (SPORO-2002), prepared previously for the Russian Federation have been approved in the Kyrgyz Republic. Maximum allowable dose for population and workers engaged in radioactive waste management have been adopted for practical application. However there are no special acts for engineering activities and rehabilitation processes in terms of former uranium facilities during reclamation and rehabilitation of polluted sites.
So far the recommendations on compliance with the requirements for reclamation of former uranium facilities establish «Sanitary rules of liquidation, conservation and reorientation of radioactive mines». This document was developed during the former USSR and should be reviewed.
Majority of regulatory documents in the Kyrgyz Republic concerning rehabilitation activities require further development and improvement.