Majilis approves agreement to exchange radiation monitoring data with CIS member countries

According to Ecology and Natural Resources Minister Yerlan Nasanbayev, the document provides for сoordination of competent authorities regarding information exchange on the radiation situation, its changes, as well as in the wake of a threat or occurrence of transboundary transfer of radioactive substances.

Nasanbayev said Kazhydromet currently monitors radiation background levels by measuring beta activity and gamma radiation in residential areas across the country. So, the density of radioactive fallout was within acceptable limits last year.

Given our country’s geographical location, the introduction of a unified mechanism for exchanging radiation monitoring data across the territories of the Commonwealth countries is an urgent need of today’s digital era, said the minister.

Nasanbayev highlighted similar cooperation methods are already used in the international community. So, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) operates the 24-hour platform USIE (Unified System for Information Exchange in Incidents and Emergencies), he said.

In the EU, a real-time radiation monitoring data exchange system called EURDEP has also been implemented.

The minister stressed that, according to the draft agreement, only data from the state radiation monitoring system will be transmitted to the member states.

Previously, Qazinform reported Majilis deputies have ratified the Treaty on Allied Relations between Kazakhstan and Tajikistan.