Russia's Ocean Dumping of Radioactive Waste - October 1996 Since the Soviet era, Russia has dumped approximately 17,000 containers of radioactive waste into the Barents Sea and Kara Sea, with a total radioactivity exceeding 2.5 million curies (Ci). This includes waste from the decommissioning of the nuclear submarine K-27 and from nuclear fuel reprocessing facilities, raising concerns about long-term impacts on the ecosystem. Although the London Convention of 1993 banned the ocean dumping of radioactive waste, by 1994, an additional 11 reactors had been dumped at sea, some containing spent nuclear fuel.

Russia's Ocean Dumping of Radioactive Waste - October 1996 Since the Soviet era, Russia has dumped approximately 17,000 containers of radioactive waste into the Barents Sea and Kara Sea, with a total radioactivity exceeding 2.5 million curies (Ci). This includes waste from the decommissioning of the nuclear submarine K-27 and from nuclear fuel reprocessing facilities, raising concerns about long-term impacts on the ecosystem. Although the London Convention of 1993 banned the ocean dumping of radioactive waste, by 1994, an additional 11 reactors had been dumped at sea, some containing spent nuclear fuel.

The Russian government announced plans to establish onshore processing facilities with an annual budget of 100 million rubles (approximately 200 million yen), but progress was delayed due to the economic crisis. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the Norwegian government launched the Arctic Radioactive Waste Removal Project, providing international support. This issue poses a significant challenge for environmental protection across the entire Arctic region, with serious implications for fishery resources and marine ecosystems.