Other important participants in the regulatory and supervisory framework

Two other state organizations, whose powers are narrower and more specific than those of SRCEPES SAEPF, participate in the system of regulation and supervision in the field of radiation safety; these powers complement the general system of regulation and supervision in the Kyrgyz Republic. These are the SIETS (www.geti.gov.kg) and DDPSSES (www.dgsen.kg).

The SIETS was created in 2015 and is comprised of three sectors (administrative, environmental and technical) and several departments (Table 3). The main objectives of the SIETS are:

 supervision and control over compliance with the requirements of regulatory legal acts and technical regulations (inspections)

 supervision of the enforcement of labor rights of citizens, as well as labor protection requirements

 participating in interdepartmental commissions for the investigation of intersystem, system and local accidents and technological violations; and

 conducting examination of managers and personnel of a hazardous production facility.

Whilst the SIETS is responsible for supervisory functions and inspections, it has not been possible so far to completely remove the supervisory functions from all other bodies, e.g. DDPSSES, have retained some oversight functions.

In September 2019, there were 7 employees in SIETS and one of the main tasks now for management is to increase the capacity of personnel and develop the necessary working instructions for this state body.

Over the period 2016-2018, the SIETS carried out 130 inspections (for all types of organizations, with little input from organizations related to radiation hazards), 130 acts have been drawn up, 59 decisions have been made and 59 administrative entities have been brought to administrative responsibility.

Table 3. The SIETS organizational structure.

Administrative sector Environmental sector (subordination of the entire sector occurs to the deputy director)

Technical sector

(subordination of the entire sector occurs to the deputy director)

Financial and Economic

Management Department of Industrial Safety,

Mining and Mineral Protection Office of Architectural and Construction Supervision Management of Organizational and

Analytical Work

Environmental Safety Department Labor Protection and Labor Relations Department International Cooperation

Department Department of Supervision, Control

of Use and Protection of Land Energy Supervision Authority Common department Office of Nuclear and Radiation

Safety

Fire Department

Human Resource Management Office of Control and Supervision

of Water Resources and Facilities Metrological Supervision Department

Anti-Corruption Sector Department for control and

supervision in the field of transport security

Legal Department

The DDPSSES is comprised of several departments, including a radiation safety department (Table 4). The main objectives of the DDPSSES are coordination of the activities of state bodies and economic entities on the issues of ensuring the sanitary and epidemiological welfare of the population and study and assessment of the impact of adverse factors on the health of the population and workers.

Table 4. The DDPSSES organizational structure

DDPSSES (units and departments are directly subordinate to the director) Department of technical regulation and work with the EAEU

Accounting Department

Management of Prevention of Infectious, Parasitic Diseases and Epidemiological Surveillance Department of No-communicable Diseases Prevention and Sanitation

Department of Sanitary and Epidemiological Expertise and Services Organizational and methodological department

Procurement sector Administrative department

Sector of Metrology and Standardization Center for Laboratory Research

Radiation Safety Department

The main functions of the DDPSSES are connected to sectoral policy and regulation with regard to public health. Concerning radiation safety, this includes:

 state registration of sources and generators of ionizing radiation

 instrumental study, examination of documents and the issuance of a sanitary certificate for organizations operating sources and ionizing radiation generators

 laboratory examination of drinking water, foodstuffs, building materials, territories and premises

 development of legal documents in the field of health and sanitation

 supervision of territorial sanitary laboratories located in all districts of the republic; and

 processing of statistical data obtained by all sanitary laboratories of the republic.

Within the Radiation Safety Division of DDPSSES, including the laboratory of radiological research, there are seven employees. The main tasks of the division are to increase the capacity of employees of sanitary units and laboratories, and to develop sanitary regulations and hygienic standards to ensure the safety of the population.

4.1.4 SRCEPES SAEPF Independent Status

The government ensures the independence of the regulatory body in making decisions related to radiation safety and security, and its functional separation from organizations having duties or interests that may have an inappropriate effect on its decisions.

In connection with the need to strengthen the status of the main regulatory body in the field of nuclear and radiation safety, two laws of the Kyrgyz Republic have been amended, but as of early 2020 the amendments had not yet been adopted in force. The amendments relate to the State Radiation Safety Administration, as well as to licensing and supervision:

 The new edition of the Law “On the licensing system” [2] provides that any activity in the field of the management of the SIR, radioactive materials, including RW, is subject to licensing. Amendments to this law will allow a more harmonious development of regulatory documents in the field of radiation safety, including the Regulation on the State Regulatory Body of the Kyrgyz Republic.

 The new edition of the Law “On Radiation Safety” [3] (as amended in 2014) provides that the main priority in regulating radiation safety is transferred to the Government in terms of the distribution of powers and the main regulatory body in the field of radiation safety. Amendments to this law will avoid conflicting contradictions of the main regulator with the MES and with other state bodies that exist in the country in recent years.

The next step in the development of the regulatory system will be the enactment of the new Law “On Nuclear and Radiation Safety”, developed in accordance with international requirements and with the help of the IAEA. This law will establish the following basic organizational measures:

 planning, development and implementation of state radiation safety programs

 the creation and operation of a unified state accounting system (registry) of radioactive sources and nuclear materials

 monitoring and accounting of individual doses of radiation to personnel of radiation facilities with man-made sources, including medical supplies

 planning activities aimed at ensuring the minimum level of generation of radioactive waste

 organization of the safe handling of radioactive waste (collection, processing, storage) until the transfer of radioactive waste for disposal

 the creation of a state system for preparedness for the elimination of accidents at radiation facilities

 creation, planning and coordination of the training system

 implementation of the national targeted environmental radioactive waste management program

 the creation and operation of a unified state system for recording radioactive waste, as well as their storage facilities

 coordination of work on the creation of new radioactive waste storage facilities

 coordination of research and development activities

 installation, repair and adjustment of devices, installations and apparatus, the action of which is based on the use of ionizing radiation

 mining and processing of uranium and thorium ores and uranium and thorium-containing materials

 decommissioning and waste disposal

 control over the fulfillment of obligations to ban the development or acquisition of nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices

 implementation of international treaties, development of international cooperation in the field of radiation safety and strengthening the international security regime and radiation protection of the population

 state licensing and inspections, establishing the frequency of supervision of objects in various industries, depending on the degree of risk of their activities

 restoration of control over radioactive sources that were left unattended, lost, put in the wrong place, stolen or transferred without proper official permission.

Based on the amendments to the existing laws, work will begin on updating the Priority Action Plan in the field of radiation safety and the development of new strategic programs. The new regulatory documents will then set clear requirements for the applicant, for example, requirements for: the organizational structure; staff competency; physical protection; material and financial resources; radiation protection of personnel, the public and the environment, etc.