Federal government nuclear waste compromises Safety and Security in South Australia
Nuclear Brief (10 Nov 2018) by David Noonan, Independent Environment Campaigner The Federal gov. is compromising Safety and Security in SA with ANSTO irradiated nuclear fuel waste to be shipped through Whyalla or Port Pirie to an indefinite (“for approx. 100 years”) above ground nuclear waste Store to be imposed on to SA at Kimba or at Hawker.
Two shipments of ANSTO nuclear fuel waste are intended in the first 2 years of Store operations.
Some 100 x B-Double truckloads (see p.179) of Intermediate Level Wastes (ILW) are also to be trucked into SA, primarily from Lucas Heights, in the first 4 years of Store operations in SA.
ANSTO nuclear fuel wastes were prohibited by the SA State Liberal gov. in 2000 and 
ANSTO’s Intermediate Level Wastes (& Low Level wastes) were prohibited by the State ALP gov. in 2003.
Imposed illegal transport and indefinite above ground storage of nuclear wastes is untenable:
The Federal nuclear regulator ARPANSA states that nuclear fuel wastes & Intermediate Level reactor wastes require radiation shielding and require isolation from the environment for over 10,000 years.
However, after 60 years ANSTO has no nuclear waste disposal capacity with none foreseeable for multiple decades while nuclear waste production is set to increase to more than double stockpiles.
ANSTO practice & the intended Store in SA are contrary to Nuclear Safety Committee advice to the CEO of ARPANSA (Nov 2013) “regarding safety implications of waste stored in interim storage”, re:
“International best practice points to the need to have in place a policy and infrastructure for final management and ultimate disposal of waste before activities generating waste commence.”
SA faces decades of nuclear accident and terrorist risks & impacts in ANSTO nuclear waste shipments – first from the UK & from Lucas Heights, with the next 40 years of ANSTO nuclear fuel waste to be shipped to SA as reprocessed nuclear wastes from France and potentially direct from Lucas Heights.
The Australian Radioactive Waste Management Framework (DIIS April 2018, p.4) reports total Intermediate Level Wastes at 1,770 m3 – with 95% (by volume) arising as Federal gov. wastes.
The Federal gov. plans to more than double Intermediate Level Wastes to produce a further 1,960 m 3 over next 40 years, with 1,850 m3 (95%) of that arising from ANSTO Lucas Heights operations.
SA faces a total of approx. 210 x B-Double truckloads of Federal gov. Intermediate Level Wastes in an agenda to more than double ANSTO’s 60 year stockpile of ILW over the next 40 years – all to be trucked or shipped into SA for indefinite above ground storage in regional SA.
In Contrast: States/Territories hold approx. 105 m3 of largely historical Intermediate Level Wastes (ILW), with a Federal Review in 2014 projecting ‘only minor future ILW arising’. S/T’s ILW are set to fall from currently approx. 5% (by volume) to under 3% of ILW intended to be Stored in SA.
The proposed above ground Store in SA is primarily 95+ % for Federal gov. Nuclear wastes.
- See: Nuclear Brief (1/8/18) by David Noonan “Federal gov. names SA Ports to impose nuclear waste Shipments” https://nuclear.foe.org.au/wp-content/uploads/SA-Nuclear-Port-Brief-August-
Nuclear Safety Committee advice against dual handling transport for interim storage:
Nuclear Safety Committee (NSC) advice to the CEO of ARPANSA (Nov 2013) addresses Transport issues a way that clearly predicates against proposed Federal gov. indefinite above ground Storage of ANSTO irradiated nuclear fuel waste and Intermediate Level reactor wastes in regional SA.
This NSC advice states that dual handling in transport associated with interim storage “does not represent international best practice” and raises “implications for security” and for safety, Noting that: “ANSTO already has comprehensive security arrangements in place” at Lucas Heights.
- Transport … The criteria of the Waste Guide “set out international best practice” (pp. 11); this promotes transport of ILW directly to a final storage or disposal facility rather than to interim storage at another facility, as is currently being proposed for the ILW generated from the reprocessing of HIFAR used nuclear fuel.
Thus, while transport of radioactive material has historically proved to have or present very low risks, it would appear that the dual handling and transport process associated with interim storage does not represent international best practice.
The Committee notes that the SAFETY GUIDE: Safe Transport of Radioactive Material 2008 Radiation Protection Series Publication No. 2.1 recommends contact time with the waste should be kept short.
Dual handling also has implications for security, pursuant to RPS 11. Code of Practice for the Security of Radioactive Sources (2007). The Committee notes that ANSTO already has comprehensive security arrangements in place at its LHSTC site. (Emphasis added)
In: “Nuclear Safety Committee advice to CEO of ARPANSA regarding safety implications of waste stored in interim storage” (22 Nov 2013), see: http://www.arpansa.gov.au/pubs/nsc/nsc_iwsadvice.rtf
The Federal gov. must stop compromising Safety & Security in SA with their untenable nuclear waste Storage plan and accept Extended Storage of nuclear fuel waste & ILW at Lucas Heights. ANSTO has to take responsibility for its own nuclear waste and keep it secure at Lucas Heights.
The NRWMF Low Level disposal site is also 95+ % for Federal – primarily ANSTO waste:
Low Level radioactive wastes (LLW) are also to double (p.4) from 4,967 m3 of Federal gov. LLW to add 4.843 m3 over 40 years – with 4,685 m3 ( 97 % ) to arise from ANSTO Lucas Heights operations.
Many hundreds of truckloads of ANSTO Low Level radioactive wastes are to be dumped in SA. An initial approx. 277 truckloads of existing LLW will come in to SA (reported at 10 m3 of LLW per truckload) with a projected further approx. 468 truckloads over next 40 years of ANSTO operations.
In Total: Toward 1,000 truckloads of ANSTO wastes could be dumped in SA over 40 yrs.
For further Information, see: https://nuclear.foe.org.au/waste & an updated Submission to Minister Canavan, at: https://nuclear.foe.org.au/noonan/by David Noonan B.Sc., M.Env.St.
Concern over New South Wales zurconium mine – also mining uranium and thorium
Kazzi Jai Kazzi Jai Fight To Stop Nuclear Waste Dump In Flinders Ranges SA, 11 Nov 18,
when you can’t legally “produce” uranium and thorium BUT inadvertently “mine” it to get the rare earth elements zirconium, hafnium, niobium and yttrium?
That’s what’s happening at the Toongi mine, 25km south of Dubbo in NSW. Called the “Alkane Resource’s Dubbo Zirconia Project” its lease was granted in December 2015. Much closer to Sydney at 380km…. compared to Roxby Downs which is 565 km from Adelaide! And it turns out that the mine has between 10,000 and 100,000 tonnes of uranium according to Geoscience Australia!
And there’s more! Turns out that over the 20-year life of the project around 80,000 tonnes of “radioactive substance” – uranium and thorium – would need to be “diluted”, according to Alkane’s Environmental Impact Statement.
This “dilution” would require up to 50 million tonnes of other, non-radioactive, materials. Around 7 million tonnes of salt, 2.5 billion litres of ‘liquid residue’ and 2 million tonnes of ‘solid waste’ would remain at the mine site forever, alongside a 40-hectare “final void”.
Now, why isn’t this in our local papers do you think? https://www.facebook.com/groups/344452605899556/
Media mindlessly parrot nuclear lobby ‘low carbon” nonsense – theme for November 18
The nuclear fuel chain emits carbon all the way through, and I find it extraordinary that journalists mindlessly parrot these lies from the nuclear lobby. Makes you wonder – do the mainstream journalists actually compose the stuff that they write, about nuclear power, or do they just copy the handouts from the industry?
Quite simply, nuclear industry leaders want to get financial help – subsidies, tax credits, from governments that have been duped into believing that nuclear power is “low” or even “zero” carbon.
The also want the “respectability”, public approval, that comes from being seen as combatting climate change. (even though most were previously in the denying climate change camp).
Anyway – it’s common sense to see that nuclear power is quite a strong emitter of greenhouse gases. Any thinking non-expert can see that. However, experts see it too. Only one step in that uranium-nuclear chain is low emission – though all nuclear lobbyists claim that this step is “no emission” – the reactor’s operation.
Kimba property values plunge, following plans for nuclear waste dump there
Zac Eagle Fight To Stop Nuclear Waste Dump In Flinders https://www.facebook.com/groups/344452605899556/RangesSA 9 Nov 18
This is what happens to a property market when a town is going for a nuclear waste dump.
Kimba 28% down in 12 months.
Mirrar people at last gain some control over their traditional land, as uranium miners leave
Jabiru native title claim victory for Mirarr traditional owners https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-11-09/mirarr-country-jabiru-native-title-determination-nt/10479708
Traditional owners in Jabiru, 300 kilometres east of Darwin, are celebrating after their native title rights and interests were successfully recognised under Australian law.
Key points:
- Native Title application first lodged on behalf of the Mirrar people in 1998
- Determination gives native title parties security to ensure their rights are protected
- As mining interests leave, traditional owners hope to revitalise the struggling town
Generations of Mirarr people have lived traditionally and used the land within the World Heritage-listed Kakadu National Park for thousands of years.
In 2017, researchers uncovered a wealth of artefacts on Mirarr country which indicated humans reached Australia at least 65,000 years ago — up to 18,000 years earlier than archaeologists previously thought.
Today, a special on-country hearing will be held to present the Mirarr native title holders, led by five senior women, with hard copies of the native title determination over areas of the Jabiru township. Continue reading
Mining industry and union get together to prevent mining clean-up legislation
Have you noticed how quickly Liberal members of parliament jump into the 
polluting industries ?
The mining industry and powerful CFMMEU join forces on mining reforms, Brisbane Times, By Felicity Caldwell, 9 November 2018 — The Queensland mining industry and a powerful union have joined forces to pressure the state Labor government to make changes to planned reforms that will force miners to clean-up their sites.
Earlier this week, the Brisbane Times reported state government officials were holding daily talks with the Queensland Resources Council over amendments to the Mineral and Energy Resources (Financial Provisioning) bill, amid mining industry concerns about retrospectivity that could affect existing mines, and aspects of a public interest test.
Miners would have to pay, according to risk, into a pool of funds that would be used to clean up land.
It came after it was revealed taxpayers may have to pay up to $40 million in clean-up costs after the collapse of Clive Palmer’s Queensland Nickel refinery in Townsville.
On Friday afternoon, Queensland Resources Council chief executive Ian Macfarlane wrote to all 93 state MPs to say the industry was “deeply concerned” the government’s proposed amendments had the “potential to be retrospective” and would “therefore put Queensland’s multibillion-dollar resources industry at risk”………
The QRC also sent a joint letter with the Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union (CFMMEU) to cabinet members, which said the two bodies could not support the government’s proposed amendments………
Earlier, Greens MP Michael Berkman called on Labor not to buckle to pressure and weaken reforms.
“It’s time to pick a side: are you with the mining billionaires or with everyday Queenslanders?” he asked.
“It’s great that cabinet are reportedly considering some improvements, and we would support stronger reforms, but I still haven’t seen any details.”
In September, Mr Berkman wrote to Ms Trad, Environment Minister Leeanne Enoch, crossbenchers and the opposition, asking for support for Greens amendments to the bill, including making “sure no coal mine can ever leave behind a toxic final void”.
“Queenslanders understand that if you make a mess, you should clean it up. There is nothing ‘retrospective’ about that,” he said.
The government amendments were due to go before cabinet on Monday, with the bill to be debated next week.https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/politics/queensland/the-mining-industry-and-powerful-cfmmeu-join-forces-on-mining-reforms-20181109-p50f5j.html
Protestors rally at South Australian Parliament against nuclear waste dump plan
Nuclear protesters converge at Parliament House https://www.transcontinental.com.au/story/5745040/nuclear-protesters-converge-at-parliament-house/, Marco Balsamo
About 1500 people congregated at the steps of Parliament House in Adelaide to let the government know that they still oppose nuclear waste.
Protesters travelled from the Eyre Peninsula and the Flinders Ranges to join other South Australians on Saturday, November 3 at the rally organised by Don’t Dump on SA.
Federal government had initially planned to make a decision on the facility by the end of the year.
The protest aimed to deliver a message to federal government to abandon the site selection process and to the South Australian government to uphold the state legislation that makes radioactive waste facilities illegal.
“We want the government to take all sites in SA off the table and to hold a full independent inquiry into the best way to manage our most dangerous waste,” Mara Bonacci from Don’t Dump on SA said.
“The government must stop targeting remote and regional areas and give Aboriginal people a right of veto for proposals that threaten their country and culture.”
Two sites in Kimba and one site at Wallerberdina Station near Hawker have been nominated to host the facility.
Among the many speakers at the Parliament House rally was Adnyamathanha man Dwayne Coulthard, who described the selection process as “cultural genocide”.
“We have had enough of being ignored. No radioactive waste dump on Adnyamathanha country in the Flinders Ranges. No waste dump in Kimba,” Mr Coulthard said.
Other speakers at the rally included state Member for Giles Eddie Hughes and federal Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young.
Community members from both Kimba and the Flinders Ranges gathered in Port Augusta in August to march across the Joy Baluch AM Bridge in protest against the proposed nuclear facility.
Aboriginal landowners say delay in nuclear waste dump vote may bring more opposition to the plan
Any election delay to nuclear waste dump vote ‘more time to lobby’ https://www.sbs.com.au/nitv/article/2018/11/05/any-election-delay-nuclear-waste-dump-vote-more-time-lobby?fbclid=IwAR1cdI5kIpL_S-ItnTa7TRpEPZBNPgJEBOxT6qN4YrCp0Scgsd9nhUTNGG8
A site for Australia’s first nuclear waste dump will not be decided until after the next federal election, Centre Alliance Senator Rex Patrick says.
Two sites near Kimba, 460 kilometres northwest of Adelaide, and one site near Hawker in the Flinders Ranges have been shortlisted.
Community ballots were scheduled for August 20 and stalled by a legal challenge from the Barngarla people.
They argued all Traditional Owners should be eligible to vote, including those not living within the shire’s boundaries.
The next court hearing has been scheduled for January 30.
Mr Patrick said that Resources Minister Matt Canavan does not want the issue to overlap with the federal election.
“He doesn’t want a ballot in Kimba and Hawker happening at around about the same time as the election, he said it sort of confuses the issues,” the Centre Alliance senator told NITV News.
“In my view they simply won’t want to agitate this issue as there is huge division in both communities. They won’t want to agitate this issue this side of the election.”
Regina McKenzie, an Adnyamathanha Elder who opposes the waste dump, hopes to preserve her people’s songlines.
“I would love to see the Traditional Owners be respected and consulted the appropriate way,” she said.
Vince Coulthard, CEO of the Adnyamathanha Traditional Lands Association, has welcomed the ballot being postponed.
“The current government isn’t listening to us as Traditional Owners,” he said.
Australian govt’s nuclear waste dump plan has put Flinders Ranges/ Kimba residents through 3 years of hell
The Federal Government needs to come clean on this and stop keeping our communities in the Flinders Ranges and Kimba dangling as part of their political game. Ever since they made plans for a federal nuclear waste dump for the Flinders Ranges/or Kimba, many people in our communities have become very unwell, some suicidal, which can be directly linked to the stress, bullying and division that this dump business has put upon us all. The government is culpable, and they should be held accountable for our past three years of hell. more https://www.facebook.com/groups/344452605899556/
Call to Melissa Price, Minister For Coal, (sorry, I meant Environment) to explain why Adani project is OK about water
|
Adani water project bypasses full environmental impact assessment against advice,
Key points:
Documents obtained under Freedom of Information (FOI) and provided to the ABC by activist group Lock the Gate Alliance showed the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources wrote to the Environment Department suggesting the project could activate what is known as the “water trigger”……… Action will ‘clearly have an impact on water resources’The principal solicitor at the Queensland Environmental Defenders Office, Sean Ryan, said the Environment Department should explain how it came to its decision to not require a full environmental assessment. “It is concerning when these significant environmental laws are not applied to an action that clearly will have a significant impact on water resources,” he said. Carmel Flint from the Lock the Gate Alliance said she was astounded by the situation. “We were really shocked to see that these documents had given some pretty clear advice to the department that there was a serious risk to water resources and that they ignored that and pushed thorough the Adani project without requiring an environmental impact assessment,” she said. “So it just raises real questions about what’s going on inside government. “We’ve got a department who has this key role of looking after water and agriculture basically raising this concern, saying they consider there would be a significant impact on water resources, and they’ve effectively been overruled. “That’s just not good enough.”………. Ms Flint is calling on Environment Minister Melissa Price to act. “We’re really calling for the Minister now to urgently step in and reverse the decision and require a proper environmental impact assessment and fully apply the water trigger,” she said. “We’d also really like to know how it was that this advice came to be ignored by the Department for Environment.”………https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-11-07/adani-water-project-bypassed-full-assessment-against-advice/10457670 |
|
Victorian Labor dials up its renewable energy target to 50 per cent by 2030
By Benjamin Preiss, Adam Carey & Noel Towell, Canberra Times, 8 November
2018 Half of Victoria’s energy could come from renewable sources such as wind, solar and hydro power within 12 years, if the Andrews government is re-elected.
The Age can reveal that Labor will promise to raise Victoria’s renewable energy target from 40 per cent to 50 per cent by 2030 if it wins this month’s election.
The move would enhance Labor’s green credentials and cement the state’s transition away from coal as its primary power source.
Victoria has already legislated renewable energy targets of 25 per cent by 2020 and 40 per cent by 2025, although the Coalition has promised to scrap the targets if it wins the November 24 election. ………https://www.canberratimes.com.au/politics/victoria/labor-dials-up-its-renewable-energy-target-to-50-per-cent-by-2030-20181107-p50emw.html
Rio Tinto offloads Northern Territory uranium resources to Canadian company
Rio Tinto offloads NT uranium asset to Laramide, Australian Mining Ewen Hosie
The Murphy uranium tenements, located near the Queensland-NT border, were responsible for the production of high-grade uranium in the 1950s but have not seen much exploration since the 1970s. The tenements are contiguous to Laramide’s Westmoreland project in northwest Queensland.
The acquisition comprises the EL 9319 and EL 9414 exploration licences and several other applications across 683 square kilometres.
Laramide has paid Rio the first of three $150,000 cash payments to Rio Tinto as laid out in the terms of the agreement announced in July this year…….https://www.australianmining.com.au/news/laramide-completes-acquisition-rio-tinto-uranium-tenements-nt/
Mike Cannon-Brookes, Atlassian billionaire, calls on Government to reinstate carbon price
ABC News 7.30 By Nadia Daly 7 Nov 18, Atlassian co-founder Mike Cannon-Brookes has called for Australia to reinstate the controversial carbon price, as he pushes to influence government policy with his new green energy campaign.
Mr Cannon-Brookes said the “movement”, dubbed Fair Dinkum Power, would put forward policy suggestions around renewable energy ahead of the upcoming election, with the aim to move Australia to “200 per cent renewable energy”.
“I think it will clearly be the number one or number two issue in the election,” he told 7.30.
“Australia could be a renewable energy super power. “We could be exporting massive amounts of power, we could have huge numbers of jobs here in this space.
“We’ve just got to have vision and insight to go after that.”…….https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-11-07/mike-cannon-brookes-calls-government-to-reinstate-carbon-price/10474702
A warning about the privatisation of the Federal government’s planned nuclear waste dump for South Australia
What ALSO really worries me is the fine print in the proposal ….the one which says that management of the dump is to be done by possibly ANSTO, or a government department , or a PRIVATE ENTITY! Read it – it is in the Fact Sheets!
Now that is a real worry – equally when Adi Paterson made comments about upgrading ANSTO in Sydney in the last week or so, again talking about Federal funding for it, or from a PRIVATE SOURCE……
So beware! Once this can of worms is unleashed, we in South Australia and Australia in fact may be getting more than we bargain for! And just like PRIVATIZATION we have seen in other sectors of our community, the management goes straight overseas into overseas hands!
Also remember private company TEPCO running the Fukushima nuclear power plant. Given many warnings about the possibility of a large tsunami possibility several years earlier and given ample time to build a levy wall to deal with it, Their answer “we are looking into it”. They never did it. And there are other safety problems with the reactor with respect to protocol and safety equipment which just wasn’t there, even though by regulation it should have been! The disastrous consequences of this coverup the Japanese people now wear as a result!
Ask anyone in the Kimba or Hawker communities who are pro for the dump and you will find that they haven’t read this at all, and mistakenly think that it is ALL under ANSTO and ANSTO is the managing entity!
Reread the name of the dump – NATIONAL nuclear waste facility – NATIONAL does not say ANSTO!! Even ANSTO itself may not be ANSTO if things are going the way it seems to be heading!
Kazzi Jai The only way to counter this, is for each state to deal with its own waste, and the Lucas Heights waste to remain on site, where we are continually told it is perfectly safe! https://www.facebook.com/groups/1021186047913052/
New South Wales government is preparing for a surge in renewable energy
We want to do everything we can’: NSW readies for renewables surge, Brisbane Times, By Peter Hannam, 5 November 2018 New solar and wind farms being planned for NSW have twice the capacity of the state’s coal-fired power stations, prompting the state government to set aside $55 million to help smooth their introduction.As of October 29, NSW had 20,000 megawatts of generation capacity either approved or seeking planning approval, worth more than $27 billion in investment, according to government data.
Proposed solar plants accounted for 11,200MW, dwarfing wind farms with 5100MW, and the Snowy 2.0 pumped hydro of about 2000MW. Just 100MW involved coal, with the planned upgrade of AGL’s Bayswater power station.
Along with the new plants, some eight large-scale battery projects – all with solar farms – with more than 400MW-hours of capacity are also in the planning pipeline as the industry gears up for the bulge in variable energy sources.
The market, though, is going to need some near-term help to smooth the exit of most of the state’s existing power plants – particularly the 10,160MW of coal-fired power stations, said Amy Kean, director of the Energy Infrastructure and Emerging Technologies unit at the Department of Planning
To that end, the government last week revealed the first details of its $55 million Emerging Energy Program aimed at supporting a portfolio of nascent technologies that will be needed as 70 per cent of the state’s generation fleet retires by 2035.
“We’re trying to drive these technologies down the cost curve so they can then complement variable wind and solar technologies,” Ms Kean said.
The surge in renewable energy comes as the federal government has largely vacated the energy policy space after the demise of the Turnbull government’s National Energy Guarantee. The states are largely being left to press on with carbon reduction and other power sector goals.
“We want to do everything we can to unlock the expertise of the private sector to accelerate projects that deliver clean, reliable and affordable energy.”
Renewable energy could emerge as a key policy issue at next March’s state election. Adam Searle, Labor’s energy spokesman said his party planned to “have quite a lot more to say about it”, and that the ALP “will do more on new energy than Coalition parties”.
Solar catches up with windThe rapid advance and competitive nature of solar photovoltaic panels, meanwhile, has caught many by surprise. …….https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/environment/climate-change/we-want-to-do-everything-we-can-nsw-readies-for-renewables-surge-20181104-p50dw9.html
1 This month
4 November – Will AUKUS keep us safe – at what cost?
the Commissioners of the AUKUS Public Inquiry present their findings at the National Press Club of Australia in Canberra. iview.abc.net.au/show/national-press-club-address
Submissions to the federal government’s new draft framework close on the 13th November 2026.
Australians deserve the truth
about
AUKUS – https://aukuspublicinquiry.com/
PETITION – To: Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and the Australian Labor Government
of the week – Australians for War Powers Reform (AWPR)
To see nuclear-related stories in greater depth and intensity
