Kazakhstan Adopts New Law On Radioactive Waste Management

On 7 July 2026 the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan signed into law the Law “On the Management of Radioactive Waste” No. 335-VIII ZRK (the “Law”). The Law was published on 8 July 2026 and will enter into force 60 calendar days thereafter in early September 2026. The Law establishes for the first time a dedicated statutory framework for radioactive waste (“RAW”) management separate from the general Law on the Use of Atomic Energy and the Ecological Code.

While the Law is directed at RAW specific activities its implications extend well beyond waste handlers themselves. Kazakhstan's nuclear new build programme its expanding uranium mining sector and the financing and contracting structures that support them all interact with the RAW regime at multiple points. This briefing highlights what the Law means for the wider ecosystem of participants in Kazakhstan's nuclear and uranium sector.