Australian uranium fuelled Fukushima. Time for a uranium audit

Urgent need for uranium audit http://www.bordermail.com.au/story/2144411/urgent-need-for-uranium-audit/?cs=14 — DAVE SWEENEY, March 12, 2014 THE world held its breath, crossed its fingers and learnt a new word three years ago.Fukushima went from the name of a provincial Japanese city to shorthand for a costly and contaminating nuclear disaster.

The continuing crisis has profound implications for Australia because Fukushima started here in the back of a big yellow truck. In October 2011, the federal government agency that monitors Australia’s uranium sales, supplies and safeguards, confirmed Australian uranium fuelled the Fukushima nuclear facility.

Rocks dug up in northern South Australia and Kakadu are now the source of the radioactive fallout spread across Japan and beyond on the wind and in the polluted water that continues to be dumped into the Pacific Ocean.

In September 2011, six months after the meltdown, the UN secretary general outlined the severity of the situation and the actions needed to stop a repeat, including a clear call for an in-depth assessment of the net cost of uranium mining in Australia.

This commonsense and long overdue examination has not taken place — it now needs to.Uranium mining companies, state and federal governments and industry public relations organisations need to stop the assurances and we need to urgently examine their performances.

March 12, 2014 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | General News

No comments yet.

Antinuclear

Australian news, and some related international items