On May 11, 2016 the United States’ Embassy in Tajikistan and Department of Energy/National Nuclear Security Administration (DOE/NNSA), the United Kingdom’s Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC), and the Government of Tajikistan dedicated two facilities for the secure storage of radiological materials at the State Institution Radioactive Waste Disposal Site (SI-RWDS). This milestone is part of a broader cooperative effort to prevent nuclear and radiological materials from falling into the hands of terrorists.
During the dedication ceremony at the SI-RWDS, Tajikistan’s Nuclear and Radiation Safety Agency (NRSA) director Dr. Ulmas Mirsaidov and SI-RWDS director Dr. Asliddin Shonazarov highlighted the major improvements to these facilities as an example of the continued cooperation between the United States, the United Kingdom, and Tajikistan to prevent nuclear and radiological terrorism.
“Disused and orphaned radiological materials are especially vulnerable to theft. The completion of these upgraded facilities will strengthen the safe and secure management of these materials in Tajikistan. This is a significant accomplishment resulting from the ongoing cooperation between our countries to mitigate the threat of radiological terrorism,” said NNSA Deputy Administrator for Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation Anne Harrington.
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Established by Congress in 2000, NNSA is a semi-autonomous agency within the U.S. Department of Energy responsible for enhancing national security through the military application of nuclear science. NNSA maintains and enhances the safety, security, and effectiveness of the U.S. nuclear weapons stockpile without nuclear explosive testing; works to reduce global danger from weapons of mass destruction; provides the U.S. Navy with safe and effective nuclear propulsion; and responds to nuclear and radiological emergencies in the U.S. and abroad. Visit www.nnsa.energy.gov for more information.
