Antinuclear

Malaysian anger at government’s secretive approval of Lynas’ rare earths plant

Protesters criticize the Malaysian government’s quick and quiet approval of the plant and the absence of public consultation or a waste management plan. Many also argue that the history of past plants is an indicator of Lynas’ future. Similar plants and radioactive waste dumps have been closed in Papan, in western Malaysia, and Baotou, China, due to pollution of river water used for farming and links to lung cancers in workers.

Thirty years ago, Mitsubishi operated a refinery in the nearby city of Ipoh. “Like Lynas, (the refinery) had no long-term waste management plan, and ad hoc arrangements eventually led to a situation of indiscriminate, clandestine dumping of radioactive thorium-containing wastes in and around Ipoh city

Fearing radiation, Malaysians oppose Australian waste plant , By Heather Farr,   UPI ,19 March 12,  “……Protesters say they fear that radiation from the plant could be linked to a number of health concerns and argue that’s why the corporation chose to build outside of Australia.

Lee Tan, an environmental consultant for the Climate Justice Program,
was working in Australia at the Conservation Foundation when she heard
about the Lynas project. A native of Kuantan, Tan said she felt it was
her duty to come back and fight the company she says could put
farmers, seafood producers and residents who drink local water at
risk.

“The location of the plant is within 30 kilometers of a population of
70,000 people, my family and friends among them,” she said in a Skype
interview. “The waste water will be discharged into a natural river,
which is a major seafood production area and a habitat of tropical
mangrove.”

The plant is expected to discharge 1,000 cubic meters of waste gas per
hour, she said.

Despite public concerns, the Malaysia Atomic Energy Licensing Board
recently granted Lynas a temporary operating license, which could
translate to a permanent operating license if Lynas meets the board’s
requirements……
Protesters criticize the Malaysian government’s quick and quiet approval of the plant and the absence of public consultation or a waste management plan. Many also argue that the history of past plants is an indicator of Lynas’ future. Similar plants and radioactive waste dumps have been closed in Papan, in western Malaysia, and Baotou, China, due to pollution of river water used for farming and links to lung cancers in workers.

Thirty years ago, Mitsubishi operated a refinery in the nearby city of Ipoh. “Like Lynas, (the refinery) had no long-term waste management plan, and ad hoc arrangements eventually led to a situation of indiscriminate, clandestine dumping of radioactive thorium-containing wastes in and around Ipoh city,” said Chan Chee Khoon, social and
preventive medicine professor at the University of Malaysia, in a
phone interview. “The greater Kuantan community similarly faces the
prospect unknown number of dump sites at unknown locations scattered
in and around the city if Lynas does not come up with an acceptable
plan for long-term waste disposal.”

Dr. T. Jayabalan, a physician in occupational medicine and
toxicologist at the National Toxicology Center at the University of
Malaysia, was heavily involved in the research of the Mitsubishi
refinery. Jayabalan said the main issues involve waste disposal, the
use of other chemicals in the extraction process and the widespread
contamination of the surrounding habitat and population.
“We looked at the issue of young, healthy mothers living close to the
plant experiencing miscarriages,” he said. “We noted offspring born
with congenital defects. Beyond that, we found at least eight cases of
leukemia — seven of which were acute lymphoblastic leukemia. One of
the known causes of this type of leukemia is ionizing radiation.”….
Jayabalan.. argues that there is no safe level of ionizing radiation.

“It is acceptable in terms of legal language but, in terms of public
health, there is no such thing as safe radiation,” he said. “If it
were safe and such a financial gold mind, they wouldn’t transport the
materials thousands of miles to Malaysia, they would build in
Australia.”

The campaign against Lynas reached new heights in late February, when
an estimated 20,000 Malaysians joined a protest. Wong Tack, chairman
of the Green Assembly 2.0 and organizer of the rally, said this is the
first time an environmental issue has caused Malaysians to take to the
streets in such large numbers.

“They are taking advantage of our corrupt system and of a
non-functioning administration. They are coming in from the back door
and attempting to use us as a dumping site. The people of this country
will not accept it,” Tack said in a phone interview. “The voice of the
people has been ignored, so now we have no choice but to bring down
the plan ourselves.” http://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2012/03/19/Fearing-radiation-Malaysians-oppose-Australian-waste-plant/UPIU-8591331596320/#ixzz1pc8PrnB5

March 20, 2012 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | Uncategorized