History

FSUE "RАDON" history originates in the 50-s of the last century. One of the main signs of that time was great atomic energetics development. Wide use of radioactive materials in the national economy resulted in generation of large quantity of radwaste. And it should be localized and neutralized.
In 1960 a decree of the USSR Council of Ministers was accepted. It was about making a centralized system of disposal and neutralization of RW from large cities and industrial centers. The system supposed establishing of special enterprises.
In November 1960 Central station for RW treatment and storage – former "letter-box 662" that later got a name of Central Radiation Safety Station – was built near a town of Zagorsk (today Sergiev Posad) in the Moscow region.
First trip (pack of 8 special vehicles) to the Kurchatov Institute for radwaste was done on January 27, 1961. This day is considered to be the beginning of "RАDON" s working activity. Department responsible for RW burial consisted of 12 people, management department – only 9, and the whole staff – 92 people.   
A small settlement and a special landfill that has a garage, a boiler-house and the first RW container. It was "RАDON" many years ago. Now it is a high-technology enterprise with the world authority. Though the way of Radon wasn"t so easy and even…

The 70-s: Formation and innovation

This time was very important in the development of "RАDON". Just then RW system management basis was laid. The RАDON specialists developed new technologies by themselves: created and approved radwaste treatment and storage installations, upgraded special vehicles. In very short terms the specialists turned from RW warehousing to RW effective neutralization.
The first RW treatment technology mastered by "RАDON"s specialists was RW cementation. It is so far considered to be one of the most effective in the world. For the first time in a world practice a method of joint liquid and solid RW disposal in a cement-concrete monolith was implemented here in 1963. Since 1964 the method has been applied commercially.
In 1969 first in the USSR RW incineration and pressing installations were put into operation and in a year – bituminization facility. In the middle 70-s for the first time in the country there was commissioning of electrodialysis installation for purification of water formed while RW management. At the same time research works on radwaste plasma treatment were begun, and since 80-s – on vitrification.  

The 80-s: Development and perfection

In 1980 Moscow Scientific and Industrial Association (SIA "RADON") was established on the basis of the Central Radiation Safety Station. The SIA formation stimulated development of applied researches and technologies, which became a basis for forming of modern RW management treatment.
A range of problems enlarged greatly. Stored knowledge and experience allowed "RАDON" to help regional combines scientifically and methodically in a safe RW treatment. A complex inspection was held and after that a new standard design of special combines was worked out.
In 1988 SIA "RАDON" was nominated as the directing organization on technical development of regional combines system. Methodical guidance and technical support of Russian special combines have been included in its duties so far.
SIA "RАDON" was also made responsible for Moscow radiation control and monitoring and making the system of RW registration within Moscow city limits. Since the early 80-s the RАDON specialists deal with radiation control and regular radio-ecological inspection of Moscow. There were organized special services for analytic and technical support of radio-ecological monitoring.
An effective automated system of radiation environment control (ASCRO) was designed during this period. Since then specialists of the Radiation-Sanitary Certification Service annually make a detailed radiation-sanitary passport of the capital.
The Moscow Research Radioecological Center was established on the basis of "RАDON" in 1990. It became the directing organization in radiation monitoring of Moscow. And 4 years earlier there appeared special departments responsible for effective liquidation of radiation pollutions. Later they were combined into the Radiation Emergency Service.

The 90-s: Overcoming

Years of "reconstruction" ("perestroika") were difficult for the country, but very important for the development of "RАDON". There were serious problems - and first of all – absence of the government financing. In spite of that, the enterprise staff elaborated and implemented absolutely new technologies (plasma incineration, new ways of vitreous matrix forming, waste cementation, rehabilitation of territories etc.) A Pilot Plant of Applied Radiochemical Technologies (where the technologies were tested and put into operation) was established at the enterprise in 1991. Thus a complete RW treatment cycle has been formed.
Since 1996 specialists from "RАDON" take an active part in solving the problems concerning the purification of LRW formed during operation, maintenance and utilization of atomic submarines. A mobile modular plant for radioactive water purification at the Northern Navy atomic submarines deployment sites were elaborated in 2000.
"RАDON" cooperates actively with nuclear industry enterprises in development of technologies and plants for Kursk, Kalinin, Kolsk, Volgodonsk, Smolensk and Beloyarsk NPPs.
In the 90-s there was a great widening of international contacts concerning RW management problems.
How did the collective manage to succeed in standing such a time of stress? First, thanks to great potential accumulated. And second, thanks to financial support of the Moscow Government. The Moscow authorities, headed by the major, realized clearly the importance of the population radiation safety.

XXI century: Multifunctionality and stability

During the last decades the enterprise came to advanced positions in RW management. And today it is a group of highly-qualified specialists able to solve any complicated scientific and practical problems. This is confirmed by "RАDON"s service importance at the Russian and international high technology market as well as constant extension of inner and outer contacts. The enterprise leading specialists act as the IAEA experts. Dealing with collecting, transporting, treatment and safe storage of non-nuclear low and intermediate level waste, FSUE "RАDON" serves Moscow and 11 regions of Central Russia. In a service area there are 40 million people and more than 2500 organizations using radionuclides in national economy. An important component of the "RАDON" activity is radiation monitoring of the industrial centers and decontamination of polluted territories. Multi-barrier protection is used at all RW processing stages. Radiation Safety Service not only guarantees reliability of technological processes, but also controls radiation situation in the region of the "RАDON" location. Nowadays the enterprise staff is more than 2000 people.
After the SIA formation appeared scientific departments of the enterprise. First scientific laboratories for RW management technology elaboration were opened in 1982. And they gave rise to the modern Center of Technology Elaboration and Analytical Control. Besides, "RАDON" consists of the Research Center of Geoecology and Rehabilitation of Territories, the Radiation and Analytical Expert Center, as well as laboratories where research on the content of different radionuclides in environment and living organisms are held.
FSUE "RАDON" has the Certificate of State Accreditation of Scientific Organization. More than 10 Doctors of Sciences and about 80 Candidates of Sciences work here. A lot of them are laureates of the Russian Federation Government awards in the field of science and technology.
RW management technologies used at the "RАDON" enterprise meet the highest world standards and are applied not only in Russia, but also in foreign countries. The most important inventions are patented abroad – within the limits of the International Patent Cooperation Treaty.
FSUE "RАDON" has a modern experimental-industrial basis supplied with research complexes, industrial and experimental plants. Some of them have neither domestic nor foreign analogues and are patented in the USA and other countries. For example, LRW vitrification plant with the use of cold-crucible induction melter, plasma chemical complex for thermal reprocessing of mixed wastes on the plasma shaft furnace basis, modular cementation plant, as well as solid RW incineration plant with ash solidification unit. There is also a compaction plant on the basis of super compactor with 1500  tons compacting force, a complex of stationary and mobile LRW treatment plants where oxidation and sorption, membrane and other methods are used. LRW vitrification and purification plants based on membrane technologies are recommended by the IAEA for the use all over the world. They work in Bulgaria and Iran, Syria and Bangladesh, Serbia and Montenegro. The unique automatic control system created by "RADON" for LRW treatment complex gives opportunity to manage operating procedures, and therefore guarantees high efficiency of RW treatment. Remote control of technological process and high level of skills provide personnel safety.