Algeria Starts Second Toxic Cleanup at Old French Nuclear Site
Crews are working at the “Beryl E2” test tunnel site in the In Ekker area of the southern province of Tamanrasset. A ministry statement said Algerian teams are operating under Defense Ministry supervision, in coordination with the national agency charged with rehabilitating former French nuclear test sites.
The work involves pinpointing radioactive zones, gathering the nuclear waste and sealing it in purpose-built concrete containers. The ministry said all steps would meet national and international safety standards.
The ministry accused France of dodging its responsibilities by refusing to hand over records and maps showing where nuclear waste was buried. It said lingering contamination continues to stall development in In Ekker and Reggane, in the southwestern province of Adrar.
The new operation follows a first, partial cleanup that began Feb. 14 at Taourirt Tan Affella, also in the In Ekker area, according to the state news agency.
The history behind the dispute dates to Feb. 13, 1960, when France detonated its first nuclear device near Reggane while Algeria was still under French colonial rule. The test was code-named Gerboise Bleue, or Blue Jerboa.
In all, France conducted 17 nuclear tests in the Algerian Sahara between 1960 and 1966. The program ran for four years after Algeria won independence in 1962.
Algeria has long pressed for access to test records and burial-site maps so it can identify contaminated areas and deal with the fallout. The legacy of French colonial rule remains a source of friction between the two countries.
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