No clear answer in sight, for Lynas’radioactive waste problem in rare earths project in Malaysia
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More protests in Malaysia but no clarity as Lynas shutdown approaches, The Age, Colin Kruger
July 21, 2019 Rare earths miner Lynas Corp is facing renewed pressure in Malaysia with environmental groups staging a last ditch attempt to ensure the country’s government keeps an election promise to close its billion dollar processing plant in six weeks time.
“The Malaysian government need to hold Lynas accountable for its massive radioactive waste problems,” said Greenpeace Malaysia Campaigner Heng Kiah Chun at a press conference on Sunday launching the new campaign against Lynas, backed by 88 different non government organisations. “Lynas has misled Malaysia by giving two undertakings to remove its toxic radioactive waste from Malaysia even though Western Australia had made it clear back in 2011 that its waste would not be accepted back in WA,” said a joint statement from the groups. Lynas extracts rare earth ores, 17 elements crucial to the manufacture of many hi-tech products like mobile phones, electric cars and wind turbines, from a mine near Perth and then sends the materials to a facility in Malaysia for processing. There have been signs of renewed tensions within Malaysia’s ruling coalition in recent weeks. In a sign of how divided the government is on Lynas’, Malaysia’s Natural Resources Minister Dr Xavier Jayakumar announced last week that the government is looking at exploiting the country’s mineral reserves and potentially mining for rare earth minerals itself. “We are alarmed by these ministers championing Lynas’ corporate profit at the expense of Malaysia’s environment and public health,” said the groups protesting against Lynas. The Malaysian Energy, Science, Technology, Environment Minister Yeo Bee Yin, is set to make a decision by mid August on the Lynas appeal against the new conditions her ministry imposed in December on the company’s processing plant. These conditions would force Lynas to export its low level radioactive waste from the country or face the non renewal of its license to operate in Malaysia which expires September 2. A cabinet meeting on Friday failed to settle the issue among the five party coalition, but Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamed has twice indicated that he thinks Lynas should be allowed to continue operating in the country if it agrees to extract the low level radioactive waste from its ore before it reaches Malaysia. Lynas is expected to give the market an update on the regulatory issues in Malaysia at its quarterly results briefing Monday July 29……..https://www.theage.com.au/business/companies/more-protests-in-malaysia-but-no-clarity-as-lynas-shutdown-approaches-20190721-p52983.html |
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1.This month
Webinar: Nuclear Power and Climate Change: Can Small Modular Reactors Deliver? For more information and to register: https://sppga.ubc.ca/…/nuclear-power-and-climate…/(See RSVP link and then register with Eventbrite) The presentations will draw upon the 2021 World Nuclear Industry Status ReportWednesday October 6, 2021 TIME (be sure to convert time to your zone)12:30 PM – 1:50 PM PDT (Pacific Daylight Time) 3:30 PM – 4:50 PM EST (Eastern Standard Time)
RAUCUS ANTI-AUKUS CAUCUS. Thu 7th Oct 2021, 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm AEDT
with Scott Ludlum, Guy Rundle, Felicity Ruby, Dimity Hawkins, Prof Clinton Fernandes, Jacob Grech, REGISTER at RAUCUS ANTI-AUKUS CAUCUS.
PETITION – Stop Nuclear Submarines for Australia
GO to https://www.foe.org.au/nonuclearsubs?fbclid=IwAR3JuFtAviP_kTDb5YX3lxHDZymQu86RWp9eW4zUWb9GV966nha3VeyFvCU The Morrison government’s decision to build nuclear submarines has shocked communities around the country.
The move, which occurred without any community consultation, undermines Australia’s nuclear-free status and will generate radioactive waste for decades.
The Prime Minister must reverse the decision to build nuclear-powered submarines and commit to keeping Australia’s military nuclear free.
global pandemic, both locally and throughout our region and on urgent action to deal with the climate crisis.
Read more about the background of this nuclear submarine proposal and why this radical shift in military capability is the wrong decision for those who care about environmental and social justice.
Australia is in some ways, a world leader in renewable energy. And this is in spite of its Liberal Coalition government’s drive to suppress renewable energy!
Small scale solar power is revolutionising electricity supply in Australia, with households and small businesses benefiting from affordable rooftop solar systems, while grid prices are too high. Community energy continues to go ahead, without government support. Battery storage systems now accelerate Australia’s transition to clean energy, with almost half of large businesses shifting to renewables.
The States, and Australian cities and towns, are showing the way ahead.
- South Australia powers ahead with large scale solar systems, as well as rooftop. Wind power booms in South Australia – it s variable, at times exporting electricity to Victoria.
While South Australia heads to becoming a global renewable energy success story, in other States and Territories renewable energy is booming, too.
- Australian Capital Territory is a star leader, with its target of sourcing 100% renewable electricity .
- Queensland surges in solar energy.
- Tasmania, with its abundant hydro and wind energy, plans to be self-sufficient in renewables and already has 93% renewable energy.
- New South Wales is installing more renewables capacity than any other State.
- Victoria is catching up, and the State Labor government has launched ambitious plans and a renewable energy target of 40 per cent renewables by 2025.
- Solar energy is going ahead in Western Australia, which has its own renewable energy policy.
- The Northern Territory Government has committed to adopt a target of 50 per cent renewable energy by 2030. The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) is helping to fund the rollout of solar and battery technology to remote communities.
Australia, with its abundant sunshine, and wind is the nation best suited to renewable energy. It can, combines with energy efficiency, meet Australia’s electricity needs, and also export renewable energy, and innovative clean power and water conservation systems.
We have that opportunity. We must not let it be derailed by the greed and idealogy of a few powerful Australian individuals in the nuclear cult.
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For updates: see Adelaide group Don’t Dump on SA https://www.facebook.com/dontdumponsa
No Radioactive Waste Facility for Kimba District https://www.facebook.com/noradwastekimba
And https://www.facebook.com/nodumpalliance
Please Sign: the Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF) sign on letter to federal Minister Pitt
Support the Barngarla People:
“Barngarla: Help us Have a Say on Kimba” to fund a legal challenge (judicial review)
Fundraiser by Barngarla People : Barngarla: Help us Have a Say on Kimba (gofundme.com)
Barngarla need as much support as we can to say NO to the Nuclear Waste Facility for KIMBA
Mahalia Bilney started this petition to Ken Wyatt (Minister for Indigenous Australians) and 1 other
Our Barngarla Mob need as much support as we can to say NO to the Nuclear Waste Facility proposed for Kimba! Help us fight to be heard and included in the importance of such a decision �� We won our native title to then be told we have no say and to go through this process all over again.
We don’t want the nuclear waste facility as they can’t guarantee it’s going to be safe and it will be a huge risk to the wildlife and environment. Not to mention the proposed areas are sacred and hold significance to my people and we don’t want more major damage to be caused, we want to try and preserve what we have left.
Research into this for yourselves, they say it’s low level but it’s technically high level! but our country marks it as low as our standards aren’t the same as the countries we’ll receive the waste from. It’s appalling and not wanted! So help us fight for our right to vote and hopefully stop it from happening.
For international nuclear news go to https://nuclear-news.net
Appeal for Australian Government’s Actions on Japan’s Dumping Nuclear Wastewater into Sea
Submissions to the Senate Committee Inquiry into National Radioactive Management Amendment Bill. 2020. Go to our summaries of significant submissions, conveniently listed in alphabetical order at Kimba waste dump submissions or see all submissions listed at Read the Submissions
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Submissions to the Senate Committee Inquiry into National Radioactive Management Amendment Bill. 2020. Go to our summaries of significant submissions, conveniently listed in alphabetical order at Kimba waste dump submissions or see all submissions listed at Read the Submissions
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