Radioactive Waste Removal Underway at Former French Test Site

Algeria has commenced a second operation dedicated to removing radioactive waste from a former French nuclear test facility located in the Sahara. This new effort is specifically targeting the Beryl E2 test tunnel within the In Ekker area of the southern Tamanrasset province. Algerian teams are conducting these crucial operations under the direct supervision of the country's Ministry of Defense, in close coordination with the national agency tasked with rehabilitating these historical French nuclear test sites.

The comprehensive operation involves a systematic process of identifying areas affected by radioactive contamination, meticulously collecting the nuclear waste, and subsequently storing it securely in specially designed concrete containers. The Ministry of Defense has affirmed that all work will be executed in strict adherence to both national and international safety standards. This current initiative follows a prior partial cleanup operation that Algeria began on February 14, at the Taourirt-Tan-Afella site, also situated in the In Ekker region.

France conducted a total of 17 nuclear tests in the Algerian Sahara between 1960 and 1966, including tests performed during the four years following Algeria's independence in 1962. The Algerian Defense Ministry has stated that residual contamination from these past tests continues to impede development in regions such as In Ekker and Reggane, located in the southwestern province of Adrar. The ministry has also accused France of evading its responsibilities and refusing to provide essential archives and maps detailing the burial sites of nuclear waste.