Antinuclear

Malaysia to ensure that Lynas is fully accountable for radioactive wastes and any mishap

AELB: AGC to ensure Lynas is legally liable. The Malaysian Insider 08-03-2012 By Yow Hong Chieh  DENGKIL, March 8 — Lynas Corp’s letters of undertaking have been forwarded to the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) for review to ensure the Australian miner can be held accountable in the event of a mishap.

Atomic Energy Licensing Board (AELB) director-general Raja Abdul Aziz
Raja Adnan said the two letters were sent to the AGC even after the
regulator’s own lawyers had pored over them because the issue was a
sensitive one.

“We need the Attorney-General to give us the nod so that we can tie
them down should we require it,” he told reporters at the nuclear
regulator’s headquarters here.

Lynas was required to submit the letters as part of the conditions for
a temporary operating licence (TOL), which has been approved but not
issued by AELB.

In the letters, Lynas pledged to pay the first of five US$10 million
(RM30.1 million) instalments and to assume full responsibility for any
waste generated at its Gebeng, Kuantan rare earth plant, including
sending the residue back to the source if necessary…..
Critics of the refinery want government to halt its construction and
direct AELB to reverse its decision to approve a TOL for Lynas, which
will let it embark on a two-year trial run once issued.

They allege that Lynas has failed to give sufficient assurance on how
it will handle the low-level radioactive waste that will be produced
at the plant…..
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/aelb-agc-to-ensure-lynas-is-legally-liable

March 9, 2012 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, politics international