Uranium, Nuclear Power and Health – theme for April 2012
Even without commercial nuclear power – the nuclear industry has claimed many victims in Australia. Cancers and other conditions linked to the radiation, plutonium, burilium-laced lands that were left after the testing has claimed the lives of many of the men who were at Maralinga. In 1985, a survey found that of the 12,500 people involved in the British nuclear testing program in Australia, 11,000 had died. The number of Aboriginal people affected is unknown – data on Aboriginal health was carefully not kept.
IN the USA the health toll of radiation from atomic bomb testing has been officially recognised:
DISEASES ACKNOWLEDGED BY THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT TO BE CAUSED BY PARTICIPATION IN ATMOSPHERIC TESTING OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS, Paul Langley’s Nuclear History Blog, 2 Jan 2012
Leukaemia (other than chronic Iymphocytic leukaemia)
Cancer of the Thyroid
Cancer of the Breast
Cancer of the Pharynx
Cancer of the Oesophagus
Cancer of the Stomach
Cancer of the small intestine
Cancer of the Pancreas
Multiple Myeloma
Lymphomas (except Hodgkinís disease)
Cancer of the Bile Ducts
Cancer of the Gall Bladder
Cancer of the liver (except if cirrhosis or hepatitis indicated)
Cancer of the urinary tract, which also translates to the bladder and kidneys
Cancer of the salivary glands
Incorporated into public law 100-321, 20.5.88.
“This law gives US atomic exservicemen due recognition for the unusual service they rendered, and is an expression of gratitude of the American people toward their atomic veterans The law enables Veteran Affairs benefits to flow to US atomic veterans who are afflicted. The US government m relation to nuclear veterans considers the nature of service plus the development of any of the above diseases sufficient cause to quality for Veteran Benefits regardless of recorded dose rates received. All US nuclear test service personnel are officially Veterans.” http://nuclearhistory.wordpress.com/2011/12/31/diseases-acknowledged-by-the-united-states-government-to-be-caused-by-participation-in-atmospheric-testing-of-nuclear-weapons/
A NUCLEAR REACTION ! From Jabiluka to Fukushima to Muckaty?
A N U C L E A R R E A C T I O N ! From Jabiluka to Fukushima to Muckaty? AN AFTERNOON OF FILMS AND SPEAKERS WITH S P E C I A L G U E S T S Meet Filmmaker DAVID BRADBURY and Author/Academic RICHARD BROINOWSKI
In the wake of the first anniversary of the world’s worst atomic accident in a generation, this Blue Mountains Nuclear Free Group event will include a compilation of films presented by acclaimed documentary film maker David Bradbury, who has been twice nominated for Academy Awards and won 5 AFI Awards.
David’s films include interviews with top scientists, environmentalists and Traditional Owners who have been denied genuine consultation as to the impacts of the nuclear industry on their Country.
Richard Broinowski, respected former diplomat, academic, author and commentator will discuss his forthcoming 
book “Fallout from Fukushima- national and international consequences”, with emphasis on the implications for Australia.
Adjunct Professor Richard Broinowski lectures in the Department of Media and Communications at Sydney University, has been a commentator in current affairs for SBS / ABC / Al JazeeraTV and has a strong personal interest in nuclear safeguards, writing extensively on the subject.
Come along and be informed of the hazards of the nuclear fuel cycle and why nuclear power is not safe, clean or cheap.
Blue Mountains Nuclear Free Group opposes the mining and export of uranium and the proposed radioactive waste dump at Muckaty in the N.T. The nuclear industry is dirty, dangerous and high risk. We support phasing out nuclear in favour of renewable, sustainable energy. WENTWORTH FALLS SCHOOL OF ARTS SUNDAY APRIL 15 / 2012 2- 5.30 P.M. Entry by donation Refreshments available
Australia needs to speed up its switch to renewable energy
The shift to wind and solar power in Australia has been driven in large part by the purchase of GreenPower, a scheme under which people pay slightly higher energy bills, with the difference invested in energy generated from renewable sources and bought by their energy provider.
Contrary to some reports, rooftop solar panels are not a middle-class luxury but a prudent, money-saving investment in more working-class and rural areas,
Winds of change blow, but breaking habits is no breeze, SMH March 23, 2012 Households have helped drive up the share of power production from renewables in Australia, but it still trails far behind the ambitious plans of other developed countries, writes Ben Cubby.
When Sydney held the first Earth Hour event in 2007, renewable energy made up just under 5 per cent of the power produced in Australia. It now stands at 10 per cent, and that total must be doubled again over the next eight years if the national target for wind, solar, hydro and biomass energy is to be met.
This represents a vast, fast change for Australia’s coal, oil and gas-dependent society, yet the country still lags a long way behind most other developed nations. An index developed by the non-profit think-tank the Climate Institute and the energy company GE, released this week, placed Australia 16th out of the G20 countries for its ability to remain competitive in a low-carbon environment. Continue reading
Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) to kick off with large investment
Fund ready to plough $200m into renewables sector, Climate Spectator, 23 Mar 2012 The Southern Cross Renewable Energy Fund is ready to begin investing in Australian renewable energy companies, the federal government said
today.The $200 million Southern Cross Renewable Energy Fund is now the largest venture capital fund dedicated to renewable energy in Australia..
… The Southern Cross Renewable Energy Fund will make equity investments in early-stage Australian renewable energy
companies to help them overcome capital constraints, develop technologies, increase skills and forge international connections. The fund will form part of the federal government’s $3.2 billion Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) when it commences on July 1. http://www.climatespectator.com.au/news/fund-ready-plough-200m-renewables-sector
A major cover-up? the disappearance of Fukushima’s radiation data emails
“It sounds, it looks…like a major cover up,”
However, Escobar says, it is unlikely Japanese authorities will ever investigate the case – “everyone will bow and nothing will be solved.” And the reason is in what Escobar calls the “cultural element”. “Japan is really ritualistic and secretive society.”
VIDEO Mystery of lost Fukushima radiation emails ‘a major cover-up’ http://www.rt.com/news/japan-fukushima-email-deleted-285/ 23 March, 2012 The Fukushima Prefecture government apparently deleted emails with reports on data vital to safely evacuate people from that area, according to fresh appeared revelations. But as Pepe Escobar told RT, it is unlikely Japan will investigate. Continue reading
Radiation lingers on at Malaysia’s old, closed, rare earths plant
Radiation still high at closed rare earth refinery? Selangor Times, Basil Foo, 23 Mar 2012 IPOH: Save Malaysia, Stop Lynas (SMSL) activists claimed high doses of radiation were found at the former Bukit Merah rare earth refinery site last Saturday “The radiation emission here is 2.0 millisievert (mSv) per year. If we hang around here long enough, our health will be affected,” said SMSL chairperson Tan Bun Teet.
They took radiation readings using a Japanese-made Environmental Radiation Monitor at the entrance to the former refinery site, which was ringed by concrete walls and metal gates. According to the Atomic Energy Licensing Act 1984 Radiation Protection (Basic Safety Standards Regulations 1988), the annual dose limit for a member of the public is 1 mSv.
Tan said the dangers of radiation were well-known – from the testimonies of former workers at the Bukit Merah refinery whose children developed deformities. Continue reading
North Korea’s missile aim will include Australia
North Korea directs missiles towards Australia, SMH, Peter Hartcher March 24, 2012 NORTH KOREA’S forthcoming missile launch will be aimed towards South-East Asia and Australia for the first time, the US has warned.
The warning was delivered in person yesterday to the Foreign Affairs Minister, Bob Carr, by a senior official in the Obama Administration, Kurt Campbell, during a visit to Sydney. Continue reading
Toro Energy’s uranium project in Western Australia may or may not be a goer
Toro uranium project faces feasibility study http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-03-22/toro-uranium-project-faces-feasibility-study/3906292 ABC News, March 22, 2012 Toro Energy has contracted an Australian engineering company to conduct a feasibility study into its uranium project near Wiluna in northern Western Australia.
The study by Bateman Australia will determine the operating costs and capital needed to mine uranium to sell to overseas customers. Toro Energy is still seeking federal and State Government approval to begin operations at the site where it hopes to mine up to 800 tonnes of uranium oxide concentrate per year. The feasibility study is expected to be completed by September, while Toro Energy hopes to begin selling uranium in 2014.
1 This month
of the week – Disrupting War & Militarism in Oceania. Active solidarity. Radical practice.
Antinuclear 