A warning to Tanzania, (where an Australian company is to start mining uranium)
Health hazards posed by uranium mining IPP MEDIA 5th July 2013“…….. the developing countries in the process of starting mining uranium, must learn a lesson from the USA, the most powerful rich and technically advanced nation in the world, who for the sake of protecting its environmental pollution from the known post uranium mining hazardous health effects, to its citizen of today, tomorrow and future generation, admitted that enough was enough, and shut down most of uranium mining in their country.
The big lesson here for Tanzania with its Uranium deposit soon to be exploited is that; until now there is no proper way of destroying completely remains of uranium mining, and therefore it is difficult to control the effects of the mineral that will end thousands of years. Above all the cost of cleaning up the environment and avoidance of effects caused by remains of big uranium mines and management of radioactive waste will put a big strain on the already ailing country’s economy.
A section of the Tanzanian media on June 8, 2013 quoted Energy and Minerals minister Professor Sospeter Muhongo as telling a visiting delegation of experts from the European Union that uranium mining will start soon in Tanzania and that the government has satisfied itself that this process will have no hazardous health effects to the population.
It is hoped that this official statement was issued after consultations with the Tanzania Atomic Energy Commission which is legally responsible for all radioactive materials in the country, uranium being no exception.
In summary, such statements should dwell first with the technical matters and let experts and responsible institutions take the major part on advising and educating the public on at least five aspects.
One: Key steps taken to ensure safety and safeguarding of the communities around and the environment for the present generation and future ones.
Two: How the uranium mining radioactive wastes (tailings) will be handled during and after the mining.
Three: The degree to which the population around the mines is aware of what is going on and how to react upon any unexpected event;
Four: The results of the baseline studies that need to be carried out before the commencement of the mining.
Five: The safety measures and programmes aimed at protecting workers and the environment against radiation and radioactive materials.
These are among the key questions that need to be answered by the experts and indeed the responsible institutions before such statements are issued by high-calibre politicians.
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