A technical meeting organized by the Nuclear and Radiation Safety Center and the Oak Ridge National Laboratory was held in Yerevan. The meeting aimed at presenting interested parties with the progress of preparatory work related to the removal of high-level radioactive sources and transfer to the storage facility. Highly radioactive sources have remained in Armenia since Soviet times and are currently not in use. They have been stored in a bunker of a scientific institute for decades, but now there is a need to move to a safe storage facility. Armenia has no such experience. For the first time, the Nuclear and Radiation Safety Center has developed a plan for their removal and transportation from the bunker in compliance with the highest safety standards. The Center is cooperating with a specialized US laboratory, whose specialists were invited to Armenia to discuss the program. The preparatory stage includes a thorough inspection of the site, an assessment of the necessary materials and equipment, as well as a detailed development of a safety plan. It is essential to minimize risks to both personnel and the environment during the process. The meeting was attended by representatives of the National Security Service, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant, the Nuclear Safety Regulatory Committee of the Republic of Armenia, Radioactive Waste Disposal CJSC(RADON), as well as specialists from the Nuclear and Radiation Safety Center. This initiative is part of ongoing efforts to ensure global nuclear safety and responsible management of radioactive materials. Both Armenia and the United States emphasize the importance of international cooperation in reducing nuclear risks.
The Nuclear and Radiation Safety Center plays a key role in the fight against illicit trafficking of nuclear and radioactive materials in the Republic of Armenia. In cooperation with the Armenian Nuclear Regulatory Authority, National Security Service, RA Police and State Revenue Committee the Nuclear and Radiation Safety Center conducts nuclear forensic expertise to characterize nuclear and radioactive materials found in the course of combating illicit trafficking. The Nuclear and Radiation Safety Center, in combating illicit trafficking of nuclear and radioactive materials, also works to search for and recovery of nuclear and radioactive materials outside regulatory control in the Republic of Armenia to increase the level of protection of the public from the radiation exposure risks. The Nuclear and Radiation Safety Center in collaboration with the International Science and Technology Center (ISTC) implements the ISTC-AM-2546 project “Enhancement of Nuclear Forensics Capabilities in Armenia”. Main goal of the project is the improvement of the Armenian legal framework for sustainable and continuous development of nuclear forensics expertise as well as the promotion of effective cooperation between the bodies involved in combating illicit trafficking of nuclear and radioactive materials.
