The former uranium enrichment platn remains a big problem. Inhabitants are dismantling the infrastructure, of course without any protecting equipment, and selling the scrap metal for new constructions. They may be exposed to radioactive material but there is also the potential risk of use of highly radioactive parts all around the country.
Among the industrial dumps and derelict industrial equipment in the area there are several radiation hotspots exceeding 1,500 to 3,000 µR/h, as natural radiation in Kazakhstan is 10 to 15 µR/h.
