Chemical arms scrapping facilities to be turned into waste-disposal, other sites - Manturov
MOSCOW. Oct 10 (Interfax) - The Russian Industry and Trade Ministry has drawn up a program to make use of facilities where chemical weapons were scrapped, Russian Industry and Trade Minister Denis Manturov said, adding that such facilities will be turned into hazardous-waste disposal sites.
"We have now formed a new sub-program that will eliminate the consequences of the destruction of chemical weapons," Manturov said during the government hour in the State Duma.
Funds will be provided to clean up these facilities on a priority basis, he said.
"Huge capacities have been created, and not only industrial capacities; we have essentially created whole neighborhoods, with residential buildings, kindergartens, stadiums, swimming pools, and other facilities. And we have now made plans for the use of these facilities, which are now pending approval," the minister said.
Rosatom plans to create four Danger Class 1 and 2 waste-disposal facilities, and one facility in the Bryansk region's Pochep will be given to the Moscow Endocrine Plant to produce substances of animal origin for medications, he said.
"One of the enterprises is expected to produce cellulose products from non-narcotic hemp," Manturov said.
All facilities will begin contributing to the economy within the next few years, he said.
Russia's last chemical weapons arsenals, which were stored at the Kizner facility in Udmurtia, were destroyed in September 2017.