Pakistan Nuclear Regulatory Authority (PNRA) has granted a Construction License (CL) to the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) for the country’s first-ever Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal facility named the National Institute for Conservation of Environment (NICE). The license was officially awarded during a ceremony held at PNRA Headquarters in Islamabad on August 07, 2025.

The NICE facility, located in the northern region of Pakistan, is designed to manage low-level radioactive waste generated from various sources, including hospitals, and agricultural research centers. The disposal facility design consists of underground disposal vaults to dispose off Low-Level Waste.

PAEC applied for the CL in December 2024 along with the Preliminary Safety Assessment Report (PSAR) and other licensing submissions. PNRA issued the CL to PAEC after a thorough review and assessment of the licensing submissions and on satisfactory fulfillment of all regulatory requirements in compliance with the relevant national and international standards.

While addressing the ceremony, the Chairman PNRA Mr. Faizan Mansoor, SI said “PNRA, in its licensing review and assessment, ensures that all safety standards and protocols are strictly complied for the protection of the individuals, society and the environment, from harmful effects of ionizing radiation”. Mr. Faizan Mansoor further added that PAEC is expected to ensure highest standards of safety throughout the construction of NICE, and PNRA remains committed to play our role in overseeing the safety and regulating construction activities".