MOSCOW, October 23. /TASS/. Statements made by Greenpeace regarding Russia’s import of radioactive waste from Germany is disinformation, Tenex, an affiliate of the Russian nuclear corporation Rosatom, told TASS on Wednesday.
"Greenpeace statements of radioactive waste import from Germany are absolutely inconsistent with reality and are disinformation. It is not about import of radioactive waste by Russia," the company said.
Russia takes depleted uranium to produce the so-called ‘enriched uranium product’ that is subsequently sent back overseas, Tenex said. "The material left after enrichment (the so-called ‘secondary uranium tailings’) is temporarily stored on special sites of Russian concentration plants for further use in nuclear and other branches of industry," the company said.
"Mind that radioactivity and toxicity of imported materials are less than relevant indicators for natural uranium, which is primary source of raw materials used to produce enriched uranium worldwide. These raw materials are carried in line with all international and Russian safety requirements," Tenex said.
Earlier on Wednesday, the Russian office of Greenpeace said that Russia resumed import of radioactive waste - uranium tailings, the byproduct of uranium enrichment when making fuel for nuclear power plants.