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Prydniprovsky Chemical Plant radioactive dumps

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This is an old revision of this page, as edited by AlexPU (talk | contribs) at 22:12, 20 March 2008 (←Created page with 'The now-defunct '''Prydniprovsky Chemical Plant''' (PHZ) in the city of Dniprodzerzhynsk, Ukraine has been enriching uranium or...'). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Revision as of 22:12, 20 March 2008 by AlexPU (talk | contribs) (←Created page with 'The now-defunct '''Prydniprovsky Chemical Plant''' (PHZ) in the city of Dniprodzerzhynsk, Ukraine has been enriching uranium or...')(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)

The now-defunct Prydniprovsky Chemical Plant (PHZ) in the city of Dniprodzerzhynsk, Ukraine has been enriching uranium ores for Soviet nuclear program from 1948 till 1991, preparing the so-called Yellowcake substance.

Its processing wastes are now stored in 9 open-air dumping grounds containing about 36 million tones of sand-like low-radioactive material, occupying area of 2,5 million square meters. The sites, improperly constructed from the very beginning, have been abandoned by industry long ago and remain in very poor condition. The top concern is the dumps’ closeness to both the large Dnieper River and city residential areas. According to government experts, the dams separating the grounds from soil water are already leaking, causing the pollution of Dnieper basin. It is believed that further deterioration of the dams, irrelative of any river accidents, may cause a devastating radioactive mudslide. Ukrainian government is now tightening control over the grounds and seeking international aid in projects, aimed at securing and gradual re-processing PHZ wastes. Recently, the International Atomic Energy Agency has evaluated the condition of the sites and is considering dispatching a major observation&aid mission to Dniprodzerzhynsk.

  1. Uranium wastes threaten the east of Ukraine, 2000, July 14, 2006; France to help removing industrial dump in Dniprodzerhynsk, Ukrayina Promyshlennaya, February 26, 2008; IAEA technical experts start working in Dniprodzerzhynsk March 4, 2008; http://news.ugmk.info/?from=80&page=0&sfera=4&code=1205225540 IAEA expert group finished inspecting the PHZ, UGMK, March 11, 2008