Tajikistan: possible impact of uranium legacy on health of population
Living near uranium: Why does Tajikistan’s Sughd region have the highest cancer rates?
12.05.2026
Article published on the asiaplus.news website
Nearly one in two cancer patients in Tajikistan lives in the Sughd region where most of the country’s uranium legacy is concentrated. Many tailing ponds are situated close to populated areas. However, to date, no studies have been conducted in the republic which would allow us to determine whether environmental conditions, including background radiation, are affecting cancer rates.
Given the impacts of climate change, which increases the spread of pollution through water, soil and dust, this issue is becoming increasingly important.
Tajikistan’s uranium legacy
The uranium industry in Tajikistan began to develop in the mid-1940s when the Soviet Union was actively establishing its own nuclear programme. Uranium ore deposits were discovered in the north of the country, around which mines, processing plants and entire industrial cities were built.
The Leninabad Mining and Chemical Combine in Chkalovsk (now Buston) became the centre of this industry. Uranium ore was transported here, not only from Tajikistan but also from other regions of the USSR.
After the ore was processed, huge volumes of waste, known as tailings, remained. These were stored in special facilities where radioactive material accumulated over decades. Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, uranium mining in Tajikistan ceased, but the tailing ponds remained. Today, they are seen as being part of Central Asia’s so-called Sughd uranium legacy.
According to Tajikistan’s Ministry of Industry, between 1945 and 1993 the country accumulated more than 55 million tonnes of radioactive waste in ten tailing ponds, covering a total area of more than 170 hectares. Most of these sites are in the Sughd region.
The largest – the Degmay tailing pond, is situated approximately ten kilometres from Khujand and contains around 36 million tonnes of waste. There are also tailing ponds and waste dumps in Taboshar (now Istiklol), Adrasman, Buston and Gafurov.
The problem is that many of these facilities are near populated areas, agricultural land and water sources. The risks of natural phenomena such as landslides, floods and earthquakes were often not taken into account during their construction.
Reclamation work has only begun in recent years, with the first major phase completed in Taboshar, supported by Rosatom. This has managed to reduce the amount of waste and shrink the contaminated area. However, this only represents approximately 17.5% of the total volume. Experts estimate that more than 100 million euros will be required to fix the problem.
How do they even try to assess the risks?
Uranium tailing ponds in Tajikistan have been the subject of numerous scientific studies. However, no research has yet been undertaken to examine their direct impact on public health. Such work would need time and significant financial resources, requiring the situation to be monitored for years and supported by a reliable scientific base. As Raya Beishenkulova, a candidate of medical sciences and associate professor at the Akhunbaev Kyrgyz State Medical Academy, explains, the high cost of such research is mainly due to its technical complexity.
“Such work requires the use of expensive kit – radiometers, spectrometers, dosimeters, as well as trained specialists. Without such people, the equipment is just a pile of metal. Furthermore, a laboratory facility with special requirements would also be required”, she said.
In Kyrgyzstan where tailing ponds is also a pressing concern, a system for monitoring and assessing such risks has already been established.
According to Beishenkulova, these systems make it possible not only to record the current situation, but also for monitoring changes and potential threats to human health.
Are tailing ponds linked to an increase in cancer cases?
Medical statistics show that non-communicable illnesses are currently placing the greatest burden on Tajikistan’s healthcare system and account for approximately 77% of all deaths. Heart and vascular diseases come top of the list, followed by cancer, diabetes and respiratory diseases.
At the beginning of 2023, more than 20,500 cancer patients were registered in Tajikistan, of whom 43.5% were from the Sughd region. Most patients were rural residents and 72% of working age. Women accounted for nearly two-thirds of patients.
Breast cancer is the most common form of the disease, followed by cervical cancer, lymphoma, skin and stomach cancer.
The Sughd Regional Oncology Centre in Khujand notes that the statistics relate to the number of patients seeking treatment and don’t always represent the true picture. A dedicated patient database is required for a more accurate assessment, which the country doesn’t yet have.
“Khujand leads in the number of confirmed cancer diagnoses, followed by the Bobodzhon Gafurov region. However, these figures largely relate to how actively people are seeking medical help. Furthermore, more patients are being treated abroad, which also affects the statistics”, explained Bakhtiyor Orifi, the Centre’s director. According to him, no clear causal link has yet been established between tailing ponds and cancer rates.
“Areas where uranium was actively mined and processed during the Soviet era are not among the leaders in the number of cancer cases. For example, Taboshar ranks roughly 10th–12th in the region. In Degmay, where the largest tailing pond is situated, no noticeable differences have been observed either”, said the oncologist. He added that increased cancer risk is usually associated with exposure to large doses of radiation, but background levels in these areas are not considered critical.
Orifi said that the rise in cancer cases is more often linked to other factors such as lifestyle, diet, infections, working conditions and access to medical care. “Breast and cervical cancer are the most common forms of the disease and can be linked to hormonal imbalances, reproductive system disorders, diet, and not seeking medical care early enough. Cervical cancer is mainly associated with the human papillomavirus”, he added.
According to Orifi, the higher proportion of patients from rural areas may be related to people’s lifestyles. Tajikistan is an agricultural country and many rural residents work outdoors. “Solar radiation has become more intense in recent years and prolonged exposure to the sun can increase the risk of skin cancer”, he said.
However, as Raya Beishenkulova explains, it is impossible to assess the real risks without conducting radiation and environmental monitoring. “The aim would be to understand how dangerous it is to live near a tailing pond, what illnesses may arise and what measures need to be taken to protect the population, including restrictions on food, water and even relocation”, she says.
According to Raya, much depends on how exactly the contamination enters the body. If inhaled, there are risks to the respiratory system and the possibility of lung cancer. If ingested, there is internal radiation exposure and damage to the kidneys. Another route is through food – contamination can enter the soil, then plants and subsequently milk and meat which accumulates in the body.
Kyrgyzstan: where they are already looking for answers
The example of Kyrgyzstan illustrates how the situation might develop in regions that have a uranium legacy.
One of the most studied cases is the town of Mailuu-Suu in the south of the country. After the mines closed, 23 tailing ponds and 13 waste dumps remained there, containing approximately 1.9 million cubic metres of radioactive waste. The area is also considered hazardous given it is near a river and prone to landslides and earthquakes.
As Raya Beishenkulova points out, this reinforces the need for water quality monitoring. “Water monitoring is carried out to assess how pollution can spread, both in the short and long term through the migration of radionuclides and chemicals. It is important to monitor not only surface water but also the groundwater as it is through the latter that contamination can spread over long distances”, said the expert.
Reclamation work has been actively underway on uranium sites in Mailuu-Suu in recent years and, according to experts, is expected to be fully completed within the next two years.
Research has also shown that in some years, the incidence of cancer in Mailuu-Suu was one of the highest in the country. That said, scientists themselves stress that proving a direct causal link between tailing ponds and certain diseases is extremely difficult. Nevertheless, such studies suggest that living near uranium waste for long periods of time may result in additional health risks.
When nature amplifies the risk
Although the impact of uranium tailing ponds on public health is still not fully understood today, the effects of climate change could well exacerbate existing risks. International studies, including International Atomic Energy Authority (IAEA) recommendations, show that the danger posed by these sites is linked not only to the waste itself, but also to how pollution spreads through water, soil and the air.
For example, heavy rainfall and flooding can erode protective layers and leach radionuclides and heavy metals into rivers and groundwater. This is especially problematic in mountainous areas due to the risk of landslides.
During dry periods, the tailings dry out, causing contaminated particles to become airborne and carried over long distances by the wind.
Some uranium legacy sites were originally situated in areas prone to landslides, flooding and soil erosion. These processes can lead to the destruction of protective structures and the spread of contaminants.
The Ministry of Industry acknowledges that some sites remain particularly vulnerable. These include waste dumps from the initial phases, underground adits and mines at Taboshar and the Degmay tailings pond.
“These sites have been identified as a priority for immediate remediation, and all of them are included in the IAEA’s Strategic Plan”, said the Ministry.
As the IAEA research shows, even with engineering defences in place, much will depend on how these elements behave in the environment, influenced by water, wind and other natural factors.
Aliya Khamidullina
