Sergey Levchenko, member of Committee on energy sector of State Duma of the RF:

— I know that in the course of preparing to the second reading, many amendments were received in Duma regarding this draft law, that is quite natural during the period between the first and the second readings and considering apprehension of the society about this extremely important topic

State Duma of RF on 20 January approved in the first reading draft law «About handing of radioactive waste (RAW)», introduced by Government of Russia. The task of the considered law is to introduce provisions of «United convention on safety of handling of spent nuclear fuel and handling of radioactive waste» ratified in the RF in 2005, into Russian legislation. Approval of the draft law will not require extra expenses covered from the Federal budget and budget funds, except the resources provided for handling of radioactive waste by Federal task program «Provision of nuclear and radiation safety for 2008 and for the period till 2015» and other task and other programs supposing measures of RAW handling, most of which was accumulated since the Soviet period in the framework of military nuclear project.

Sergey Levchenko, member of Committee on energy sector of State Duma of the RF:

— The supported draft law about radioactive waste handling, in my opinion, is very important for Russian society. It will allow to move to legal framework all issues of RAW handling, which are now in many cases solved by departmental legislative instruments. Moreover, the suggested draft law is logical development of international liabilities undertaken by Russia, that is also very important.

Among the main advantages of this draft law, I would name that it legislatively guarantees liability of RAW producers to pay for full cycle of handling thereof. That is, thesis «contaminator pays» is introduced, that completely corresponds to international ecologic standards. Another the same important moment, in my opinion – it is clearly determined procedure of financing of process of conditioning and burial of waste. The enterprise producing RAW will pay for this under tariffs established by the state.

I know that in the course of preparing to the second reading, many amendments were received in Duma regarding this draft law, that is quite natural during the period between the first and the second readings and considering apprehension of the society about this extremely important topic. All amendments should be seriously studied, but in general, I think that the conception of the draft law is correct.