Unsecured Radioactive Waste Poses Catastrophic Risk in in Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan

Dams holding vast amounts of uranium mine tailings above the fertile Fergana valley in Central Asia are unstable, posing a grave risk of a Chernobyl-scale nuclear disaster if they were to collapse. Such a catastrophe would render the region uninhabitable. Let’s delve into the details:

1. Current Situation:
   • The dams, which contain approximately 700,000 cubic meters (185 million gallons) of uranium mine tailings, are located in Kyrgyzstan.
   • These dams became unreliable after a 2017 landslide.
   • A subsequent landslide or earthquake could release their contents into a river system that irrigates farmlands in Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan.
   • Such an event could potentially displace millions of people in these three countries.
2. Risk Factors:
   • The type of waste stored in these dams cannot be safely contained in their current locations.
   • The dams are situated near the Mailuu-Suu River, which flows through the densely populated Fergana valley.
   • The valley is home to approximately 16 million people, many of whom engage in agriculture, cultivating crops such as cotton, rice, grains, fruits, and vegetables.
   • If a landslide breaches the dams, the liquid waste from the uranium mine tailings would flow into the river, creating an environmental disaster comparable to Chornobyl.
3. Technical Details:
   • The waste in these dams is liquid, making it particularly hazardous.
   • A strong earthquake could potentially breach the dams, leading to contamination of the river water used for irrigation.
   • The dams’ foundations were weakened during the 2017 landslide, bringing the river closer to the tailings.
4. Mitigation Measures:
   • To prevent this looming catastrophe, the European Commission and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development recommend relocating the waste away from the river.
   • The estimated cost for this relocation is 22-25 million euros.
   • The area near the town of Mailuu-Suu, known for one of the world’s largest uranium ore dumps, was developed by the Soviet Union between the 1940s and 1960s.

This urgent situation underscores the need for immediate action to safeguard both human lives and the environment in this critical region.