Toxic and Radioactive pollution

The sources of radioactive pollution of an environment are the following: natural radioactivity; uranium mines and production of ore; places of processing of uranium ores (tail storages of radioactive waste); nuclear explosions. On data of the State Agency on Hydrometeorology at the Government of Kyrgyzstan, a radioactive situation on the territory of Kyrgyzstan in 1996 remained stable. A concentration of radioactive substances in atmospheric air, density of their falling and power of doses of gamma-radiation on a place were in limits of natural fluctuations. Annual mean meanings of radioactive fall in Bishkek, Jalal-Abad, Kara-Kol and Narin accordingly were: 1.0; 4.8; 6.0; 4.5 Bk/sq m in a day. Concentration of radioactive substances in surface layer of atmosphere in Bishkek was 37*10-5 Bk/cu m. A level of an exposition dose of gamma-radiation for 1993-96 did not on the average exceed a natural background and was 15-26 microR/h in Issyk-Kul region; 15-22 microR/h in Narin region; 15-19 microR/h in Chu valley; 16-20 microR/h in Osh and Jalal-Abad regions. During 1993-96, the Agency on Hydrometeorology investigated the regions of tail storages and heaps in Kadji-Sai, Shekovan, Minkush, and the place of storage of solid radioactive waste being in 36 km to north-west from Bishkek. A radioactive background near canyons was 19- 40 microR/h, and in a sanitary zone it was in limits of natural background values. The point estimations of a radioactive situation are in a good consent with a map of dose loads of natural gamma-radiation of the territory of the republic received on data of episodical observations for the period 1950-96 by the Agency on Geology and Mineral Resources at the Government of Kyrgyzstan. The analysis of power of a dose of gamma-radiation shows that 90-93% of the territory of the republic is in limits of ecological norms of a level of gamma-radiation (about 30 microR/h) at insignificant prevalence of it in a north-east part of Kyrgyzstan. On a background of natural gamma-radiation, the anomalies are observed leaving for a limits of ecological norms and caused by mining industry aglomerations of the republic. Now, about 75 million cu m of waste are deposited on the territory of the republic in 49 tail storages and slime accumulators. Total amount of waste of a mining industry (620 million cu m) is concentrated in 130 objects. Depending on a kind of processed ores, waste may contain radionuclides, salts of heavy metals (cadmium, lead, zinc), toxic substance (cyanids, acids, silicates, nitrates, sulphates and other). Occupying significant areas (more than 754 ha), tail storages exert a negative influence on an environment as at the stage of operation, and after preservation. The proof of this is the analysis of power of gamma-radiation in the region of an arrangement Maili-Sai tail storages where excess of allowable norms is observed The problem of safe storage of a large amount of waste of mountain manufacture is aggravated by a presence of a considerable number of elemental phenomena on the territory of the republic. On data of Ministry on Extreme Situations and Civil Defence, 411 extreme situations were registered on the territory of the republic in 1994, from which 223 situations were caused by avalanches, 95 by landslides, 41 by spring floods, 53 by mudflows and other phenomena. There are many heaps of mountain breeds and sub-standard ores on the territory of the republic, which are subject to moving by a wind, water and gravitational forces. Total volume of heaps of the enterprises of uranium manufacture is 1269 thousand cu m., an occupied area is 230.4 thousand sq m, a power of an exposition dose of gamma-radiation changes from 30 up to 350 microR/h. Volume of heaps of the enterprises of a colour and coal industry is 534 million cu m, area is 14170 thousand sq m. Such polluting substances, as mercury, antimony, lead, arsenic, cyanids, salts of heavy metals are storaged in these heaps. The general area of territories being subject to rehabilitation is 1200 ha.