Wedoany.com Report-Aug. 10, Russia’s Central Design & Technological Institute (TsPTI), part of Rosatom’s Fuel Division TVEL, has signed a contract to develop design estimates for rehabilitating two uranium legacy sites in Tajikistan’s Sughd region. The project focuses on a tailings dump in Adrasman village and the workshop dump No. 3 in Taboshar, near Istiklol city.

The Taboshar Site Near The City Of Istiklol

The initiative addresses environmental challenges from radioactive waste accumulated between 1945 and 1970 in the Sughd region, particularly in Istiklol, where uranium processing once spanned 250 hectares. Four tailings sites in Adrasman, Istiklol, Bobojon-Gafurov, and Buston still require reclamation. In 2023, Rosatom successfully reclaimed Istiklol’s largest radioactive waste dump, marking significant progress in the region’s environmental restoration efforts.

The current project, funded by Russia, operates under an intergovernmental agreement between Russia and Tajikistan to rehabilitate areas affected by historical uranium mining. TsPTI is conducting engineering and radiation surveys and preparing design documentation, ensuring compliance with Tajikistan’s urban planning and environmental regulations. Since 2021, TVEL has served as the Commonwealth of Independent States’ base organization for managing nuclear legacy, including radioactive waste and decommissioning.

In 2022, TsPTI won a tender to develop documentation and perform work at the Taboshar site as part of a program addressing uranium mining impacts. The Adrasman tailings dump, located in a mountainous area, covers 3.45 hectares, stands 22–25 meters high, and contains 400,000 tonnes of waste. The project aims to reduce radiation risks, prevent soil and water contamination, and support the region’s socio-economic development.

TsPTI Director General Yakov Nikonov stated: “Implementation of the project will reduce the risks of radiation exposure, prevent further pollution of soil and water resources, and also create conditions for the socio-economic development of the region. Our team already has successful experience in implementing a similar project on the Taboshar site. This experience, accumulated by Russian and Tajik specialists, taking into account advanced world practices, can form the basis for future projects to bring other uranium heritage sites to a safe state.”

The collaboration leverages expertise from both nations to ensure safe and effective cleanup, building on previous successes to enhance environmental safety and support sustainable development in Tajikistan’s Sughd region.