Dams holding vast amounts of uranium mine tailings above the fertile Fergana valley in Central Asia are unstable, threatening a possible Chernobyl-scale nuclear disaster if they collapse that would make the region uninhabitable, studies have revealed.

Maylısuu

**Nuclear-waste Dams Threaten Fertile Central Asia Heartland**

Dams in Kyrgyzstan containing vast amounts of uranium mine tailings are reported to be unstable, posing a significant risk to the fertile Fergana Valley in Central Asia. Studies have highlighted that a collapse of these containment structures could result in a disaster on par with Chernobyl, rendering the region uninhabitable.

The dams, situated near the town of Malysu, hold approximately 185 million gallons of nuclear waste from uranium mining operations conducted by the Soviet Union from the 1940s to 1960s. The vicinity is known for its proximity to a river system that feeds into the Fergana Valley, an area prone to earthquakes and landslides. The potential for a landslide or earthquake causing the dams to fail has raised concerns regarding the safety of the region's inhabitants and its agriculture.

Islambek Altumashev, an engineer at a local radiology lab, highlighted the danger of a landslide from the slope opposite the dam. A landslide in 2017 has already compromised the stability of these structures. The potential collapse of the dams poses a threat to the river's ecosystem and could deliver contaminated water into the Fergana Valley, affecting Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan. This valley is home to approximately 16 million people, many of whom rely on its fertile lands for agriculture.

The European Commission and European Bank for Reconstruction and Development have initiated studies that underscore the urgent need to relocate the tailings away from the river's banks. According to Ibat Kozybayev of Kyrgyzstan's Tailings Management Agency, plans include the recultivation of 16 tailing dumps and the relocation of four to safer locations. The estimated cost for moving the waste from two of the most hazardous sites is over $26 million.

Local residents, including orchard owner Berdy Bekov, have expressed their concerns and the pressing need to eliminate the threat posed by these uranium mine tailings. The safety and preservation of the Fergana Valley's environment and its inhabitants hinge on effective and swift action to remediate these unstable dams.



Nuclear-waste dams threaten fertile Central Asia heartland

There is a vast amount of nuclear waste in these scenic hills in Kyrgyzstan, but studies say dams containing the millions of gallons of uranium mine tailings here, near the town of Malysu, are unstable. The waste is close to a river system above a fertile valley in Central Asia, and the area is prone to earthquakes. Some predict a possible Chernobyl-scale disaster if the dams give out. The most dangerous thing here is a landslide from the opposite slope, says Islambek Altumashev, an engineer with a local radiology lab. The area near the town of Malysu was one of the world's biggest uranium ore dumps, developed by the Soviet Union between the 1940s and 60s. The dams currently hold about 185 million gallons of tailings, or about 280 Olympic-sized swimming pools. A landslide in 2017 made the dams unstable. Another one, or an earthquake, could spell disaster. If the dams give way, contaminated water could flow into the river and into the Fergana Valley. It stretches across areas in Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan, home to about 16 million people, many of whom cultivate various crops. Studies at a Soviet-era radioactive waste disposal facility suggest millions of people could be displaced in the event of a disaster. The studies are part of a project by the European Commission and European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. Studies show the waste cannot be safely contained where it is, and has got to be moved away from the river's banks. Ibat Kozybayev with the country's Tailings Management Agency explains the scope. Within the framework of this project, 16 tailing dumps are supposed to be recultivated. Four of the tailing dumps are going to be moved to safe locations. It could cost over $26 million to move the waste from two unsafe locations to one further away from the river. At his Kyrgyzstan orchard, resident talk-to-back Berdy Bekov says that can't happen soon enough. The most important thing is for us to get rid of the tailing dump, the one over the corner. It's dangerous, without any doubt, he says.

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