When
you think about countries where the NRC conducts international
cooperation and assistance, Tanzania would probably not be the first one
that comes to mind; however, that is where a group of five NRC
employees recently held a workshop on regulatory practices related to
uranium production.
In
recent years, there has been increased global interest in uranium
mining and milling. This has led to a significant impact on countries
with limited experience and a lack of regulatory infrastructure and
trained staff. As a result, the NRC’s Office of International Programs
initiated outreach on this topic to our counterparts around the world.
Uranium
is a naturally occurring radioactive element that has been mined in the
U.S. and other countries around the world for centuries. After being
processed, uranium can be turned into fuel for nuclear power plants;
however, if uranium mining and milling sites are not properly regulated,
the radioactive materials and wastes at those sites can be hazardous
for the public and the environment and lead to complex and expensive
clean-up operations.
Abandoned
or unregulated uranium recovery sites where hazards remain after
operations have ceased, are known as “legacy sites.” Restoring these
legacy sites may require clean-up of contaminated land and groundwater,
and activities to reduce contamination from waste piles. With proper
strategies undertaken early in the planning stages of uranium mining and
milling, countries can take steps to avoid the creating these legacy
sites, which are costly and difficult to clean-up.
The
NRC is providing best practices and lessons learned to its
international counterparts who are beginning to embark on uranium
production, with the focus on helping to build strong regulatory
infrastructure and preventing future legacy sites.
The
NRC has hosted three workshops for international counterparts on the
“Regulation of Uranium Recovery Operations” in Denver (August 2009), San
Antonio (May 2011) and Arusha, Tanzania (January 2012). The three
workshops have included participants from 31 countries from Central and
South America, Asia and Africa. These workshops facilitate the sharing
of best practices on the regulation of uranium mines and mills,
including regulatory framework (laws, regulations, and guidance),
application review, licensing process, oversight and inspection,
cleanup, and decommissioning.
The
workshop presenters stress the importance of independent regulatory
authorities, well-established laws and regulations and long-term
planning related to uranium recovery. Presenters from the NRC, the
International Atomic Energy Agency and Canadian Nuclear Safety
Commission have discussed the environmental, health, and safety aspects
related to uranium mining, milling and decommissioning and have
facilitated the exchange of information between workshop participants.
The
workshops in the U.S. also included tours of uranium recovery
facilities and decommissioned uranium mills. Future workshops targeting
specific regions are being planned.
Eric Stahl
International Relations Specialist
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