
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: MONDAY, October 18, 1993                   TAG: 9310180059
SECTION: NATL/INTL                    PAGE: A-4   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE: MOSCOW                                LENGTH: Short

RUSSIA POURS RADIOACTIVE WASTE AT SEA

Russia began dumping liquid radioactive waste into the Sea of Japan on Sunday, saying the step was essential to prevent possible contamination of coastal waters.

The Ministry of Environmental Protection said the low-level radioactive waste came from a ship-repair plant near the port of Vladivostok, across the sea from Japan.

The ministry said that foreign countries and international organizations were notified in advance and that the dumping was being conducted according to international norms.

Greenpeace monitors shadowing the three Russian ships said that when the dumping began Sunday, they measured radiation in the air at 10 times background levels of radiation that occurs naturally in the universe.

Russian officials said up to 70,000 cubic feet of liquid radioactive waste was to be dumped. Greenpeace said the waste was primarily reactor coolant and cleaning waters from dilapidated nuclear-powered submarines. - Associated Press

by CNB