Ukraine’s nuclear regulator has formally approved the release of the first approximately 20 tonnes of decontaminated carbon steel from the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant for reuse within the country.

These steel materials originated from equipment being dismantled during the decommissioning process. They underwent fragmentation and decontamination and were then subject to comprehensive gamma-spectrometric monitoring at a facility designated as the Free Release Facility (FRM-03). 

According to the plant operator, this milestone is significant not only for the Chernobyl site but for Ukraine at large. Environmentally, it contributes to reducing the volume of radioactive waste requiring disposal; economically, it enables additional materials to re-enter the national economy, supporting decommissioning financing and easing the burden on the state budget. 

The facility entered industrial operation in September this year and was established with funding from the European Union. It has the capability to process up to 10 tonnes of material per day. Going forward, the Chernobyl plant intends to extend this free-release process to include materials from its three currently decommissioned reactor units. 

The national regulatory body explained that during the decommissioning of equipment, systems and components at the plant, large amounts of controllable radioactive materials are generated. Some of these materials, after sorting, fragmentation, decontamination and radiation surveying, may be released from regulatory control — a practice aligned with international best practices for nuclear decommissioning and waste management. 

By enabling the return of valuable materials to the economy while reducing the waste requiring further treatment and disposal, the approach strikes a balance between public and environmental safety and resource efficiency. 

Background:
The Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant is located around 130 km north of Kyiv and approximately 20 km south of the Belarus border. After the major accident in April 1986, a 4 200 km² exclusion zone was established around the site. Although the 4-unit site continued to operate some units until the year 2000, all units are now in the process of decommissioning. 

Conclusion:
The approval of this first batch of steel for reuse marks a significant breakthrough in material management during nuclear decommissioning. It signals the start of a more sustainable and circular approach: decommissioning is not merely about dismantling and disposal, but also about recovering value, innovating processes and returning materials to use. As this process expands, it could become a model for other decommissioning projects — shifting from passive disposal to active resource reuse.