MOSCOW. Jan 23 (Interfax-AVN) - The annual amount of solid radioactive waste increases by 500-600 cubic meters in Russia as a result of activities of nuclear submarines and scrapping nuclear submarines, which left the inventory of the Russian Navy, a source in the Russian Atomic Energy Ministry told Interfax- Military News Agency on Friday.
"As a result of massive scrapping of nuclear submarines, which left the inventory of the Russian Navy, as well as activities of nuclear facilities, solid radioactive waste accumulates in great amount in Russia on an annual basis. The annual increase in solid radioactive waste amount totals 500-600 cubic meters, while the Navy is no longer capable of processing it," he said.
The source also said that there were a total of 26,000 tonnes of solid radioactive waste in various storage facilities in northwestern Russia and the Russian Far East.
"Defueled nuclear power plants are source of increased radiation. They cannot be used for industrial purposes, thus, they are stored in special facilities in a floating or semi-sunk condition," the source said.
According to him, nuclear power plants are the most radiation-hazardous and environment-hostile waste. Even defueled, they are up to 100,000 Curie radioactive.
The source said that the Atomic Energy Ministry had developed a Comprehensive Nuclear Submarine and Surface Ship Scrapping Concept, which envisions scrapping radioactive equipment after a 100-year exposure.
Nevertheless, according to experts, solid radioactive waste storage facilities require contemporary infrastructure and technical means.