The Main Legal Acts Regulating Nuclear And Radiation Safety in the Republic of Belarus

The Republic of Belarus is currently creating the national system of legal regulation in the sphere of atomic power use, nuclear and radiation safety which has a hierarchical structure. It includes documents of different levels (laws, decrees of the President of the Republic of Belarus, resolutions of the Government, Republican state authorities, etc.) Further details about the system are available in the section "Legislation / The regulatory system of nuclear and radiation safety."

The legal basis for the development of nuclear and radiation safety in the Republic of Belarus is formed by the following main documents.

The law of the Republic of Belarus № 122-3 of January 5, 1998 "On radiation safety of the population" (linked file is in Russian), which defines the basis of legal regulation in the sphere of radiation safety of the population and is aimed at creating conditions for the protection of life and health from the harmful effects of ionizing radiation.

This normative act establishes the following:

• the main principles of radiation protection;
• the main dose limits in the Republic of Belarus as a result of exposure to ionizing radiation sources;
• the main measures for ensuring radiation safety;

It contains the following information:

• general requirements for the assessment of radiation safety;
• the obligations of users of ionizing radiation sources which ensure radiation safety;
• the requirements for radiation safety in the event of exposure to radon and gamma radiation of natural radionuclides;
• requirements to the manufacture of food and to drinking water consumption;
• requirements to medical radiation exposure;
• requirements to the management of radioactive waste;
• requirements in case of a radiation accident.

The law of the Republic of Belarus № 426-3 of July 30, 2008 "On the Atomic Power Use" (linked file is in Russian) which regulates the relations connected with the location, design, construction, commissioning, operation, limiting the operation, the extension of the operation and decommissioning of nuclear installations and (or) storage facilities, as well as relations related to the management of nuclear materials in the operation of a nuclear facility and (or) of the storage of spent nuclear materials and (or) operational radioactive waste, and other relations in the sphere of nuclear energy.

A number of international treaties, conventions and agreements which the Republic of Belarus has joined and ratified (listed in the "International obligations of the Republic of Belarus ensuring nuclear and radiation safety").