The Sughd region of Tajikistan is preparing for a large-scale environmental operation — in 2026, it is planned to start work on decontamination of the Dehmoy radioactive waste storage facility located on the territory of the Gozien jamoat in Bobojon Gafurov district. The project is implemented within the framework of intergovernmental cooperation and is at the stage of technical coordination between the Ministry of Industry and New Technologies of Tajikistan and the Russian State Corporation in the field of nuclear energy.
The facility, which covers an area of about 90 hectares, was formed as a result of processing uranium materials at the Vostokredmet enterprise in the period from 1944 to 1965. Today, its legal successor is the state unitary enterprise "Rare Metals of Tajikistan". Over the years of operation, the storage facility has accumulated a significant amount of radioactive waste, becoming a serious threat to the environment and public health near the located settlements.
According to official representatives of the company, decontamination is carried out in accordance with the orders of the Government of Tajikistan and the authorities of Sughd region. The aim of the project is to eliminate the ecological legacy of the Soviet uranium industry, ensure sanitary safety and restore the natural balance on the site.
It is planned that work will begin in 2026, after completion of all procedures for the approval of project documentation. Priority tasks include technical assessment of the storage facility's condition, determination of the radiation background, development of engineering solutions for isolation of contaminated sites, and monitoring compliance with international radiation safety standards.
This project can become one of the largest examples of environmental cooperation in Central Asia. Its implementation will not only eliminate the potential source of pollution, but also strengthen cooperation between the countries of the region in matters of environmental protection, waste management and the use of "green" technologies in the post-Soviet space.
