IAEA presses UAE on nuclear waste policy

The UN nuclear watchdog urged the United Arab Emirates on Wednesday to quickly draw up a plan for radioactive waste management as the major oil exporter prepares to build four nuclear reactors. The UAE sits across the Gulf from Iran which is at odds with Western powers over its own nuclear program. "The UAE should conclude and implement a national policy and strategy for radioactive waste management as soon as possible," the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said in a statement Wednesday. "The UAE government should also clarify roles and responsibilities of emergency response organizations as soon as possible," the statement said. An international team of nuclear safety experts assembled by the IAEA completed a 10-day review of the UAE's regulatory framework for nuclear safety and radiation protection. The experts are expected to submit a final report to the UAE's Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation in about three months.