DZERZHINSK. June 10 (Interfax) - At least 80 billion tons of dangerous waste have been accumulated in Russia, way up from 30 billion tons cited by official sources, Nikolai Laverov, Vice President of the Russian Academy of Sciences, told the State Council's Presidium in Dzerzhinsk on Thursday.
Scientists' calculations using space-based data point to least 80 billion tons of mining waste, Laverov said.
There are rock disposal dumps in various regions, including in the Trans-Baikal region, he said, adding that "it's unclear what those dumps actually hold".
Earlier, President Dmitry Medvedev said that the amount of dangerous waste accumulated in Russia exceeded 30 billion tons.