Antinuclear

Sydney’s radioactive residential area will still be “hot” indefinitely

because of the extremely high radioactivity levels in the waste, it may be difficult to dump it

Clean-up deadline missed, Sydney Morning Herald BRIAN ROBINS, March 19, 2010, THE planned clean-up of the radioactive site at Hunters Hill is facing an indefinite delay. The government has missed its own deadline to begin the clean-up, and is yet to even start on the necessary paperwork…..

The remediation work involves removing 3000 cubic metres of soil from the area, and another 500 cubic metres from the harbour floor.

”That will increase if neighbours want their radioactive hot spots removed as well,” the MP Michael Richardson said.

There are 37 samples on the site registering greater than 100 becquerels per gram of radioactivity, classifying it as hazardous waste. It is spread right across the area, from the foreshore to the upper areas of the site. The highest individual reading is 787.43 becquerels a gram.

However, one piece of radioactive slag has also been found, which recorded more than 7400 becquerels per kilogram of uranium, along with very high levels of thorium, in an area at No.1 Nelsons Parade, Hunters Hill. That is several lots away from the remediation site, which is centred on Nos. 7,9 and 11 Nelson Parade.

The government’s application needs to include an environmental assessment which must specify where the radioactive waste is to be dumped. The sole landfill in Sydney able to accept industrial waste is at Kemps Creek in western Sydney, operated by the private firm SITA.

But because of the extremely high radioactivity levels in the waste, it may be difficult to dump it, since much of it is well in excess of safe levels. And, once dumped, it then becomes the responsibility of the landfill owner.

Hunters Hill radiation clean up

March 19, 2010 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | environment, New South Wales | antinuclear, Australia, nuclear, nuclear weapons, radioactive