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Russian parliament votes to become nuclear waste dump
In defiance of a nationwide campaign against waste imports, the Russian parliament voted last week to allow the import of up to 20,000 tons of spent nuclear fuel from around the world. The plan, by the atomic energy ministry Minatom, is supposed to raise money for Russia’s nuclear clean-up program and general expenditure, but it will mean massively increased risks from the transport of nuclear material and if, as planned, some of the fuel is reprocessed, Russia could end up with even more waste. Russian environmentalists and others around the world have campaigned against the plan, raising enormous support in Russia, where people suspect the government is out to make a quick buck at the expense of the environment and people’s health.
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