Antinuclear

South Australia to face nuclear dump threat again

13 November 2015 Conservation SA today expressed its concern about the short-listing of three sites in SA for a national nuclear waste repository.

Chief Executive Craig Wilkins said: “South Australians clearly rejected earlier plans to host a national nuclear waste dump and that widespread community opposition is expressed in state legislation − the Nuclear Waste Storage Facility (Prohibition) Act.

“Conservation SA is concerned that affected communities will have insufficient time and resources to engage in the public consultation process. Just because a landowner has offered their property doesn’t mean the wider region, including those places along transport routes, are in favour.

“The SA Government has an obligation to support those communities who oppose a waste dump being imposed on them.

“The hosting of a national nuclear waste dump raises serious risks well beyond the dump-site. For example, when this idea was previously proposed, the then Howard government acknowledged a 23% risk of one truck accident moving the entire national waste inventory to SA.

“There are credible alternative options for radioactive waste management. That includes the option of ongoing waste storage at the Lucas Heights site, south of Sydney.

“Conservation SA is concerned that hosting a national nuclear waste dump will open the door for vastly more hazardous high-level nuclear waste from nuclear power reactors around the world.

“A nuclear waste dump is illegal in South Australia.  There are huge reputational risks for our state.  It is essential that the South Australian community is given a genuine opportunity to say no if we decide we don’t want one here,” he said.

November 13, 2015 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | General News