Australia’s shame: ignoring its “Black Mist” atomic radiation victims
Radiation skin burns from contact with the radioactive Black Rain among Hiroshima victims is officially recognized by the United States.
With such a long and documented history, official Australian ignorance of Beta Radiation Burn to skin as a consequence of contact with nuclear fallout has no excuse………
The Black Mist and its Aftermath, The Black Mist Incident « Paul Langley’s Nuclear History Blog, 21 April 2010, -Oral Histories by Lallie Lennon A Submission to the Government of South Australia, the Commonwealth Government of Australia and the International Atomic Energy Agency Oral Historian Michele Madigan, 2006 and 2009Transcription and Commentary by Paul Langley…… Continue reading
Kentucky legal case over radiation contamination
The Kentucky Supreme Court ruled then that the landowners don’t have to prove they were actually harmed to sue past contractors for trespassing by allowing contaminants to spread beyond the plant.
The high court also held that land devaluation by intentional trespassing is a recognized measure of damages once actual injury is determined. There is injury if groundwater is contaminated and it can’t be consumed.
Ky. landowners settle lawsuit over uranium leaks, BusinessWeek, By BRETT BARROUQUERE 21 April 2010, !LOUISVILLE, Ky.A group of landowners have settled in a long-running lawsuit for $1.75 million over allegations that water leaks from a western Kentucky uranium enrichment plant devalued property values….compensating between 70 and 80 homeowners for the devaluation of their property because of radiation contamination….. Continue reading
Uranium poisoning of Native Americans’ land
VIDEO, Native America, Discovered and Conquered » Blog Archive » American Indians and uranium poisoning In what might be an example of environmental and economic racism, I believe that more than 50% of the uranium mining in the United States occurs on tribal lands. Tribal lands make up only 1% of the land mass in the lower 48 states. I just heard very disturbing evidence presented on very serious and very significant cancer clusters on the Navajo Nation reservation blamed on water and land contaminated with uranium tailings.Watch this video complied from a conference held on the Hopi Nation in November 2009 about this issue.
Melbourne protest against Ferguson’s nuclear waste dump plan
National Day of Action, 12 April, against Federal
Resources Minister Martin Ferguson’s plans for a nuclear waste dump at Muckaty in the Northern Territory. – Jim Green 18 April 2010, Protesters gathered first on the steps of the Victorian Parliament House
before making their way through the lunchtime crowds of the CBD to join Ziggy the nuclear White Elephant at Flinders Street Station. Continue reading
New Anti-Nuclear Movement Gathering Strength
The New Anti-Nuclear Movement, THE HUFFINGTON POST, Frida Berrigan:, 16 April 2010, “……… At the end of April, people will be coming to New York City from all over the world to participate in and monitor the UN Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference. They will gather at the “For a Nuclear Free, Peaceful, Just and Sustainable World” conference at Riverside Church in Manhattan on April 30 and May 1. Continue reading
Israeli soldiers made infertile by depleted uranium
Experts say the dramatic drop in Israel’s sperm count could eliminate their ability to reproduce.
Israel’s Declining Sperm Quality Tied to Depleted Uranium Exposure, Atlantic Free Press, by Tim King, 16 April 2010 Israel’s population is facing a dire threat: a drastic depopulation, from the use of weapons that leave behind Depleted Uranium (DU). Continue reading
Earthquake danger to Nuclear plants, and fuel transport
Quake rattles Chilean-U.S. uranium move , SANTIAGO, Chile, April 14 (UPI) – A Chilean-U.S. nuclear waste disposal arrangement was nearly derailed, with dangerous consequences for North and South America, when a magnitude-8.8 earthquake struck Chile Feb. 27, interfering with deliveries of radioactive waste to U.S. processing plants. Chilean reports on the narrowly missed mishap involving the weapons-grade uranium, published by The Santiago Times, weren’t immediately commented upon by industrial sources and officials……
Chile doesn’t produce nuclear power but has a research reactor and the uranium usually is stored at the reactor site and a military base.
The quake caused widespread concern in Chilean and American nuclear communities. A U.S. team sent to Chile was especially keen to ensure the volatile material didn’t set off a chain reaction while in transit. Quake rattles Chilean-U.S. uranium move – UPI.com
Australian Govt likely to override Senate recommendations on radioactive waste dump
Labor’s Nuclear-Powered Steamroller, newmatilda.com, By Jennifer Mills 16 April 2010, “……… On Monday, the Senate inquiry into the National Radioactive Waste Management Bill 2010 held its final hearing in Darwin. The inquiry has been underway since September and is expected to deliver its recommendations by the end of the month. Those recommendations are not expected to favour the proposed dump site at Muckaty Station near Tennant Creek. But the Bill may be passed anyway, which would turn the site selection into a magically done deal. Continue reading
Limitations of Nuclear Security Summit’s achiievement
What the summit did not address in any detail was the likelier and more easily achievable possibility that a terrorist organisation might obtain highly radioactive material and attach it to a conventional, crudely made dirty bomb that could still spread lethal material over a wide area.
World takes aim at nukes | The Australian, Brad Norington, Washington correspondent, April 16, 2010 Obama’s plan, endorsed at the summit by all attending countries including Australia, is to conduct an enormous accounting exercise with the objective of securing all nuclear materials across the world during the next four years. Continue reading
But anyway, Gareth Evans is right about nuclear fuel recycling.
In a perfect world. the plan to send enriched uranium and plutonium to USA and Russia, to fuel nuclear reactors, might be part of a good move. That would be the move to wind down all nuclear power plants. ( but I doubt that this is the intended plan)
It would also put a stop to the dirty dangerous industry of uranium mining.
However, Gareth Evans points out that recycling nuclear fuel simply creates new stockpiles of very dirty, very dangerous, radioactive wastes. Sure, Gareth Evans’ point of view promotes Australia’s uranium mining companies. But he’s right, anyway.
Gareth Evans against recycling nuclear fuel, and FOR Australian uranium miners
Mr Evans and a former US ambassador-at-large, Robert Gallucci, said recycling created stockpiles of dangerous materials ripe for theft……...
Recycling fuel should end: Evans, Sydney Morning Herald, April 15, 2010, WASHINGTON: A former Australian foreign minister, Gareth Evans, was at the centre of a dispute over reactor suppliers recycling nuclear fuel even as US officials sought to skirt the issue during a summit in Washington organised by the President, Barack Obama. Continue reading
Defence Minister says Australia Backs Nuclear Summit Security Plan
“We converted from highly enriched uranium to low-enriched uranium based technologies for research reactor fuel and radioisotope production.
Australia backs US nuclear meet outcome, Sydney Morning Herald, April 14, 2010 Defence Minister John Faulkner, who has been attending a nuclear security summit hosted by US President Barack Obama, says Australia welcomes the call to secure all vulnerable nuclear material within four years……. Continue reading
Continued downward spiral in uranium prices hits ERA shares
Uranium production falls at Ranger mine, Sydney Morning Herald, BARRY FITZGERALDApril 14, 2010 SHARES in Rio Tinto’s listed uranium subsidiary, Energy Resources of Australia (ERA), have suffered a beating on the back of the company’s sharply lower production effort at the Ranger uranium mine in the Northern Territory. Market sentiment towards the stock was not helped by a downbeat assessment of the likelihood that uranium prices would pull out out of a spiral,.…ERA shares dropped $1.17 or 5.9 per cent to close at $18.52. Its forecast of near-term moves in the uranium price rubbed off on other uranium stocks, with Paladin Energy shares falling 3.45 per cent……. there had been no progress in ERA’s plan to develop the $20 billion Jabiluka uranium deposit near Ranger.ERA has undertaken not to develop the deposit without the consent of the traditional owners. Uranium production falls at Ranger mine
Local govts would have to deal with catastrophic nuclear blast
Nuclear blast victims would have to wait , By Steve Sternberg, USA TODAY 14 April 2010. The White House has warned state and local governments not to expect a “significant federal response” at the scene of a terrorist nuclear attack for 24 to 72 hours after the blast, according to a planning guide. Continue reading Obama, Rudd, speak on nuclear security
Listen:
- Windows Media
Australia’s PM won’t be at world nuclear summit Radio Australia,April 9, 2010 Presenter: Linda Mottram
Speakers: Barack Obama, U-S President; Kevin Rudd, Australia’s Prime Minister; Rory Medcalf, director, International Security Program, Lowy Institute for International Policy
Radio Australia:Connect Asia:Story:Australia’s PM won’t be at world nuclear summit
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