Decision No. 48 of the Committee on Industry, Radiation and Nuclear Safety under the Cabinet of Ministers “On approval of safety requirements for the collection, processing, storage and conditioning of solid and liquid radioactive waste, as well as for handling gaseous radioactive waste”.

This Decision approves comprehensive safety requirements for the collection, treatment, storage, conditioning, and management of solid, liquid, and gaseous radioactive waste. The regulation was adopted pursuant to the national legislation on the peaceful use of atomic energy and applies to nuclear facilities, radiation sources, and radioactive waste storage facilities. It establishes key definitions, assigns responsibilities to operating organizations, and sets overarching principles for radiation protection, nuclear safety, accident prevention, environmental protection, waste minimization, licensing, and regulatory compliance.
The safety requirements cover the entire radioactive waste lifecycle. Operators must classify and separately manage wastes according to their physical state, radionuclide composition, activity level, and decay characteristics; prevent releases to air, soil, surface water, and groundwater; maintain radiological monitoring systems; and implement engineered barriers, ventilation, fire protection, and emergency preparedness measures. The regulation provides detailed technical requirements for the collection, processing, storage, and conditioning of radioactive waste, including methods such as incineration, pyrolysis, compaction, melting, evaporation, cementation, bituminization, polymer encapsulation, and vitrification. It also contains extensive provisions for handling gaseous radioactive waste, including filtration, sorption, monitoring, iodine retention, and control of explosive or hazardous gases.
The final chapters establish requirements for the safe storage and disposal preparation of conditioned radioactive waste. Storage facilities must incorporate radiation shielding, containment systems, leak detection, ventilation, environmental monitoring, and controls to prevent radionuclide migration. Containers used for conditioned waste must remain stable throughout storage and transport and comply with disposal acceptance criteria. The annexes specify quality standards for cement, bitumen, glass, and polymer waste forms, including criteria for mechanical strength, radiation resistance, thermal stability, water resistance, radionuclide retention, and long-term durability. Persons responsible for violating these safety requirements are subject to liability under applicable legislation.