Institute of Radiation Safety and Ecology

The Institute was established in 1993 on the basis of research sub-units of Military Unit 52605 and radioecological subdivisions of NNC RK.

The Institute’s primary activity area is comprehensive survey of the former Semipalatinsk test site (STS), development and implementation of measures to secure radioecological situation at the STS and adjacent areas.

The Institute of Radiation Safety and Ecology has licenses for:

• ionizing radiation source (IRS) handling, including radioactive substance storage, IRS use, storage and accounting;
• handling radioactive wastes, including decontamination of rooms and equipment, collection and sorting of radioactive wastes;
• rendering services in nuclear power engineering, including radiation monitoring of site; expertise, analysis and assessment of radiation safety; radiation remediation and rehabilitation of site;
• radiation and radioecological support to operations, including operations at the former testing sites and other areas contaminated as a result of nuclear testing.
• implementation and rendering of services in environmental protection
• engaging in special training of specialists and personnel in activity related to nuclear power use, including advanced training in “Radioecology”, “Radiation monitor, radiochemistry laboratory assistant”, “Ensuring radiation safety for radioactive substance handling”
• activity related to precursor traffic

The Institute’s laboratories certified to perform radiation, radiochemical and spectrometric tests, including:

• determination of measurement of X-ray and γ-radiation ambient dose rate, β-particles flux density, emitted from radioactive contaminated surface, to required precision;
• test of soil, water, food and agricultural products, vegetation, construction materials for α-, β-, γ-emitting radionuclides’ specific activity content.

The Institute actively collaborates with either republican or international organizations: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), International Science and Technology Center (ISTC), NATO, with USA research laboratories and institutes of Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS), etc.

Scientific findings are annually reported at republican and international scientific and practical conferences, workshops on radioecology and radiobiology issues. The Institute held two International conferences «Semipalatinsk test site. Radiation legacy and non-proliferation issues”. Over 230 articles were published for 15 years of Institute operation.

The enterprise performs the following functions:

• duly performs tasks under Republican scientific and technical and other budget programs; performs the work on its core activity under the contracts and agreements with national and international organizations;
• schedule, arrange and execute a range of scientific researches and technology developments in accordance with the basic activity areas;
• coordinates practical application of approaches and technologies developed by the enterprise with Parent enterprise, scientific research institutions and industrial enterprises of the Republic, for benefit of science and national economy of the Republic of Kazakhstan;
• provides personnel training in basic activity areas of the enterprise; provide assistance to other institutions of the Republic in the specialists training;
• develop and implement an action plan (search for partners, marketing studies, elaboration and design of projects involving scientific-technical divisions of the Enterprise), aimed at contract award with domestic and foreign organizations for implementation of scientific research and other work in accordance with the Enterprise’s activity areas;
• performs economic activity aimed at development of main activity areas and solving social-economic issues jointly with concerned organizations;
• duly publishes scientific proceedings, guidance, information and other materials; holds workshops, meetings, conferences based on principal areas of scientific and production activity.