Radioactive Sites See New Algerian Decontamination Effort

Algeria's Defense Ministry has announced the launch of a second national operation aimed at removing radioactive waste from former French nuclear test sites situated in the Sahara Desert. This latest effort commenced on Sunday at the Beryl E2 test tunnel site, located in the In Ekker area of Tamanrasset province. The operation is overseen by the Defense Ministry in coordination with the National Agency for the Rehabilitation of Former French Nuclear Test and Explosion Sites in southern Algeria, leveraging exclusively Algerian expertise and resources while adhering to national and international standards.

This comprehensive operation, for which the state has allocated dedicated financial and human resources, involves identifying radioactive areas, systematically collecting nuclear waste, and securely storing it within specially designed concrete containers. Throughout these processes, stringent safety procedures and international standards are being meticulously followed by Algerian specialists. The ongoing work targets the significant nuclear waste remnants left behind by French colonial rule in southern Algeria, with the broader goal of rehabilitating the affected sites.

The Algerian Ministry of Defense has asserted that France continues to evade its responsibilities regarding these sites, particularly by refusing to hand over vital records and maps detailing the locations where nuclear waste was buried. This persistent refusal by France to provide crucial information and assume its historical responsibilities reportedly continues to impede development efforts in areas such as In Ekker in Tamanrasset province and Reggane in Adrar province.