Transboundary problems of the region on uranium legacy

The presence of huge amount of radioactive wastes of uranium-mining and processing industry in the Central Asia region and their negative impact on environment is demonstrated in two main forms:
• Systematic and long-term contamination of the environment by various components and especially the hydrographic network of transboundary rivers of the region by radionuclide and other toxic materials;
• High threat of dangerous natural processes and events (earthquakes, landslides and avalanches, mudflows and floods) in the area when radioactive wastes are stored, which cause a high risk of destruction of tailings that leads to catastrophic ecology consequences in the regional and transboundary context.

The length of the territory, sites located within the country, restriction of the air and technogenic streams and dry continental climate are the problems for movement of contaminated materials with water flow. Review of the condition and sources of potential contamination of Syr-Darya river which is under influence of the former uranium mining and tailings are considered as the main subject for transboundary cooperation within the region. Syr-Darya river starts in the mountainous regions of the Kyrgyz Republic, flows across the Fergana valley and in fact serves as a regional drain for areas where huge amount of radioactive wastes are located.

It certifies that the problem on water quality of Syr-Darya river is a sensitive issue for all countries in Fergana valley.

There are several problems related to actual and potential risks due to current situation of uranium legacy in the Kyrgyz Republic and other countries in the region. Areas with high potential threats of disasters and technogenic catastrophe can be dangerous in transboundary context. As a result, they may have an impact on health of people, degradation of environment at the regional and inter-regional level and may entail extremely huge costs for rehabilitation of the affected regions. Political consequences and tension in these regions should be taken into account as well as serious problems may arise due to lack of regulatory framework in the Kyrgyz Republic as potential source of risk. In general the risks may be related with radiation safety and subsequent impact on health of people.

According to assessment made by experts if uranium tailings № 3, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 18 in the city Mailuu-Suu are fully destroyed, the amount of radioactive materials (tailings) which may be brought to Fergana valley will reach 1 million m3, and the total activity of radionuclide disseminated in the valley (Kyrgyzstan) and Mailuu-Suu river (Uzbekistan) will make up 10000 curie. The total area of radioactive contamination can reach 300 km2, and number of people on contaminated areas in Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan will reach 100-120 thousand of people.

* Торгоев И.А. Алешин Ю.Г. "Экологические трансграничные воздействия горно-промышленного комплекса в Центральной Азии.// "Проблемы геомеханики и геотехнического освоения горных территорий" - Бишкек: Илим,2001 г. - стр. 95-106.

Physic-geographical and climatic features of the Kyrgyz Republic and Central-Asian region

The territory of Kyrgyzstan makes almost 200 000 square kilometers and is located in a southeast of the Central Asia, between Pamir and Alai in a southwest and Tyan-Shan - in northeast. The country borders with Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and China. The population is 5.2 million people more than 90 nationalities. Capital of Kyrgyzstan is the city of Bishkek with the population almost 1 million people, other large cities – Ош, Djalal-Abad and Karakol. Kyrgyzstan is a mountainous country, where more than 80 % of territory is 1500 m above sea level. The territory of the country is subject to natural cataclysms, such as landslips, earthquakes, flooding and mud flow. The damage from such kind of acts of nature according to data of the Ministry of Emergency of the Kirghiz Republic will to cost to the country about 35 million US dollars.

Storms are rather rare. Summer is hot and dry. Winter temperatures, especially in mountains and hollows of mountains are low enough and reach from a minus 20°C up to a minus 30°C. In winter time thawing weather are frequent. The greatest annual precipitation falls out on the western slope of the Fergana ridge – 1090 mm, the least – in western extremity of Issyk-Kul basin – 140 mm. Usually the average quantity of precipitation is ranged within 300 - 600 mm.

Feature of Kyrgyzstan are rigid enough extreme natural conditions and high vulnerability mountainous ecosystem.

There are 1923 lakes with a total area of a water table 6836 km2 in the Kyrgyz Republic; the world famous lake Issyk Kul is 1,700 m above sea level. A climate is acutely continental with cold winter and hot summer depending on altitude above sea level. A climate in various areas is ranged from acutely continental up to almost seaside, owing to significant roughness of a relief and presence of Issyk-Kul lake. Precipitation mainly concentrates in the autumn, winter and spring while the summer is usually dry.

Special danger is caused by that all tailings of radioactive waste are located in a zone of arid climate which is characterized by rather small atmospheric precipitation and elevated evaporation. In the arid climatic conditions the tailings during the tens years after their preservation should dry up completely, however researches show, that practically all tailings have strongly humidified water-saturated zones. It is related with absence of a hydro isolation of tailings from underground waters and that protective screen a surface of tails interferes to evaporating process. The elevated water saturation of tailings negatively affects on their long-term sustainability, especially under conditions of high seismic, landslide and mudflow activity. Besides tail waters contaminated by radionuclide are seeping through dams, and contaminate underground and surface waters.

Social-economic situation

Outflow of the population (ecological and economic migration) and the degradation of cities shown in the general deterioration of a condition and functioning of the industrial, municipal enterprises, infrastructure, decreasing or absence of quality services in the field of education and public health, lack of social support especially after the closure of ore and mines are referred to number of negative social and economic consequences of deterioration of an ecological situation in above mentioned mining areas.

So, number of people living in ecological unfavorable cities and settlements (villages Min-Kush, Ak-Tuz) was 2 times reduced. Poverty, devastation, hopelessness are characteristic feature of the majority of these settlements. Today the picturesque mountain areas have turned to areas with a dangerous ecological situation and absence of worthy living conditions. The poor people open the tailings of radioactive wastes to extract black and nonferrous metals, cables and other contaminated materials for searching means of subsistence. Using materials of dumps for construction and housing needs is practiced everywhere. It worsens an ecological situation and represents serious threat for residing in these areas.

There are no databases on medical statistics. In most cases, the sick and/or injured people cannot receive medical aid because of lack of medical agencies and the qualified medical staff on the grounds. The people are suffering from diseases and psychological frustration that can be referred to synergetic effects of a standard of life of the poor population and fear of radiation. Though its dozes as of date are low and within of limits which are expected/predicted for areas with elevated level NORM (occurrence of natural radioactive materials), but even these dozes have a negative effect on immune system of the person and may cause stochastic/random effects after long ionization radiation.

Perspectives of economic stabilization and improving of an ecological situation in these cities and settlements are possible on condition of acceptance of a complex of the measures including: remediation of contaminated areas; remediation of dumps and tailings, creation of new working places, including possible utilization of wastes, extraction of the valuable components which have remained in technogenic deposits (dumps, tailings); rational use of geo resources (oil, gas, mineral, thermal water and etc) available near these areas and burial of water in the underground areas. Providing of qualified medical aid to the people is one of necessary measures. Thus, it is obvious, that improvement of a standard of living and social and economic and corresponding (psychological and health) conditions is the urgent need as of date.

Background of the problem

In recent times the territory of Kyrgyzstan was one of the main mineral and raw material bases of natural uranium and rare earth elements for Tsarskoye Russia and the USSR. In mountain and border areas of Kyrgyzstan, since 1907 *, mines and plants has been functioning that produced and processed uranium ores, rare earth elements with thorium mineralization. These enterprises inherited a huge amount of radioactive waste stored on a surface of the dumps and tailings. These storehouses of waste in conditions of race of arms and for the interests of military-industrial complex of the USSR had been placed within the settlements, frequently near the rivers and basins of the transboundary rivers which flowing down in densely populated valleys of all region of the Central Asia. In conditions of chaotic curtailing extraction and processing of radioactive ores after collapse of the USSR the most part of tailings was left without technical supervision and the control, adequate maintenance. Conditions of storage of radioactive waste fail to meet elementary requirements and rules of ecological safety at the majority of sites and represent serious threat for health of the population and an environment.

The situation is aggravated with that the majority of tailings of waste in Kyrgyzstan are located in the areas of high seismic and landslide activity, mudflow, flooding and high level of underground water. Tailing of radioactive waste has a negative impact on an environment and the population:– contamination of environment first of all surface waters by radionuclide and other toxic elements; – high risk of destruction or infringement of integrity of tailings with catastrophic ecological consequences of transboundary scope in case of possible accidents and acts of nature.

Now the Kyrgyz Republic has no financial or technical resources for appropriate maintenance and remediation of wastes. This ecological accident can be prevented only at essential, but purposeful and coordinated support of the international community, UNDP.

The government of the Kyrgyz Republic has addressed to UNDP in Kyrgyzstan with the request to solve the issue in the Central Asia. In addition the contract has been signed jointly with the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic and the Euroasian Economic Community. Moreover, the President of the Kyrgyz Republic K.Bakiev was personally interested in this problem, has addressed directly to Mr. Kemalyu Dervishu, UNDP Administrator in New York, with the request to support the initiative of Kyrgyzstan. Donor support becomes complicated because as of date there is no uniform vision and coordination on this issue and rendering of support in the decision of national and transboundary problems. Therefore, the Framework Document has the overall objective to assess status of problem in view of all specified aspects.

Description of the problem.

According to data of the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic, in territory of the country there are 75 tailings of radioactive waste of the mining industry, the total amount exceeds 145 million м3, and the area covered by them makes 650 hectares (6,5 km2). The greatest danger represent 38 tailings of radioactive waste with the total amount 62,12 million м3, including 29 uranium tailings with total volume of radioactive waste above 41 million м3. In places of extraction of mineral raw material there is also 37 dumps which are not remediated, containing off-test radioactive ores with the total volume above 83 million м3. The condition of dumps and, especially tailings fails to meet safety norms even during activity of mines and plants. During this period there was accident with catastrophic consequences of transboundary scope (Mailuu-Suu 1954, Ak-Tuz 1964). For last years, after closing of mines and plants, the condition хвостохранилищ has considerably worsened due to degradation, malfunction of their protective structures.

Transboundary threats and risks

Basically, the transboundary risk, concerning potential moving of a material with radioactive waste, is present at all places where the ore was produced and processed in the Kyrgyz Republic as a source of radioactive contamination. The most critical situation is connected with potential risk of transboundary displacement of the some tailings Mailuu-Suu to Fergana valley that becomes a theme for serious fears from Uzbekistan and can lead to political discomfort also with other neighboring countries if such transboundary event will occur.

* Погодин С.А., Либман Э.П. "Как добыли советский радий" М., 1977.