Leukaemia in young children near nuclear facilities
The medical and economic costs of nuclear power
OnLine opinion By Helen Caldicott – 14 September 2009A recent study sponsored by the German government (the KiKK study – Kaatsch P, Spix C, Schultze-Rath R, et al. Leukemia in young children living in the vicinity of German nuclear power plants. Int J Cancer. 2008; 1220:721-726,) examined children who lived near 16 of the country’s commercial nuclear power plants. The results revealed a strongly increased risk of all childhood cancers, particularly leukaemia, the closer the proximity of the children’s residence to the reactor. In particular, the study found that children less than the age five years, living within a 5km radius of the power plant exhaust stacks were more than twice as likely to develop leukaemia compared with those children residing more that 5km away. The KiKK team studied other carcinogenic factors which may be responsible for the cancer clusters but none were found.
Another large study (Baker PJ, Hoel DG. Meta-analysis of standardized incidence and mortality rates of childhood leukemia in proximity to nuclear facilities. Eur J Cancer Care. 2007:16:355-363) – a meta-analysis of the incidence and mortality rates of childhood leukaemia in children living near 138 nuclear facilities in Britain, Canada, Spain, Germany, the US and Japan also demonstrated a statistically significant rate of leukaemia in children less than nine years of age.
A further large review (Laurier D, Jacob S, Bernier MO, et al. Epidemiological studies of leukemia in children and young adults around nuclear facilities: A critical review. Rad Prot Dosim. 2008; 132:182- 190) of children and young adults living near 198 nuclear sites in 10 countries was found to be compatible with the study described above.
It is important to note that the sensitivity to the damaging effects of radiation in early embryonic and fetal life is much higher than in adults, and young children are also particularly vulnerable…………………….
In the light of these two studies it is difficult to understand how Kevin Rudd and the Labor Government can have no moral scruples about our uranium exports.
The medical and economic costs of nuclear power – On Line Opinion – 14/9/2009
Aboriginals exploited by new uranium laws
Uranium royalty changes ‘will exploit Aboriginals’
ABC News Sep 11, 2009Anti-nuclear activists in Alice Springs say changes to uranium royalties in the Northern Territory will make way for the exploitation of Aboriginal communities. Continue reading
Environment safeguards left out in new uranium laws
New uranium royalties a savage blow to environment
Trading Room (AAP) By Tara Ravens, Darwin, September 10 2009
A new royalty regime for the Northern Territory’s expanding uranium sector is a “king hit to the environment,” says the Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF). Continue reading
A wasteful and very dubious nuclear opinion survey
The news item below is a bit of a worry.
by Christina Macpherson 11 Sept 09 Now why would the govt want to waste our tax money on the nuclear question, just 2 years after it was clearly answered by the voters?
Is the uranium/nuclear lobby is dictating government action here, in the same way that the fossil fuel industries are determining climate change policy?
Survey Project leader Daniela Stehlik may be very well intentioned, but her comments published today do not inspire confidence .
First of all, Stehlik is calling nuclear power the “more emissions-friendly option”. Doesn’t she know about the carbon emissions from the whole nuclear fuel cycle?
Then she says “… with nuclear, Australians can’t tell what it’s like … they haven’t actually seen a plant in operation …. No direct experience” (So, apparently we can’t have a valid opinion?)
Amazingly, Stehlik thinks that internationally, nuclear power is OK with communities. Doesn’t she know about the turmoil in USA and UK over the nuclear’s costs, and wastes.? About the fiasco of France’s new reactors? About the massive anti-nuclear protest in Germany?
And – Stehlik seems to brush off the (?silly) negative connotations of nuclear bombs and nuclear accidents- “it’s in our imagination”!
Oh dear – we are in for a wasteful tax-funded nuke-hype!
Australian govt to bankroll a nuclear opinion survey
Federal funds to test popular opinion on nuclear power
THE AUSTRALIAN : Jamie Walker | September 11, 2009
THE federal government will fund research to test public opinion on nuclear power, Continue reading
Uranium – bad news for Kimberley workers and environment
Uranium in the Kimberley
ABC radio Kimberley Mornings 01/09/2009 Development proposals for the Kimberley have been all about the Ord or the gas in the last year or so, but is uranium on the radar?
Robin Chapple, Greens MLC for the Pastoral and Mining Region thinks it is, and is giving a talk in Broome tonight.
“At a conservative estimate, there are 15 corporations currently operating in the Kimberley actively pursuing uranium and there are over 60 exploration lease, dotted all over the Kimberley. History shows us that anywhere else in the world where there has been uranium mining, we have health effects in workers and in the communities.”
Robin Chapple argues that the environmental legacy left by uranium mining is equally disturbing, with tailings dams and waste piles “which are radioactive for ten thousand odd years, and that’s not managed”.
Rudd govt uranium policy for miners, against environment
NT uranium royalty laws a king hit for environment
Dave Sweeney 10 Sept 09 New uranium mining laws passed by Federal Parliament yesterday put the interests of uranium mining companies ahead of the environment, Indigenous landowners and Australian taxpayers, the Australian Conservation Foundation said.
“The Uranium Royalty (Northern Territory) Act is biased towards Continue reading
Olympic Dam uranium mine: future uncertain
BHP’s dam dilemma: costs rise
The Age BARRY FITZGERALD September 9, 2009
BHP Billiton’s proposed expansion of the Olympic Dam copper/uranium/gold mine in South Australia’s outback is set to become the most expensive ever, with analysts estimating an all up cost of $US15-$US20 billion ($17.4-$23.2 billion)…… Continue reading
Australian a uranium colony of China?
Australian uranium firm wants Chinese takeover
ABC News By Louisa Rebget
An Australian-based uranium explorer says its proposed takeover by a Chinese company would open Australia up to the growing Chinese nuclear power market. Continue reading
China seeking strategic control of Australia’s uranium
Uranium follows rare earths as China eyes strategic control
Robin Bromby | September 08, 2009Article from: The AustralianFIRST rare earths, now uranium. It seems the Chinese are determined to get control of key strategic metals – and Australia seems to be welcoming the idea.
Chinese companies have effectively moved to take control of the two most advanced rare earths projects here (although one is still subject to approval by the Foreign Investment Review Board).
And, as we saw this morning, uranium is also high on Beijing’s shopping list. It is proposed that China Guangdong Nuclear Power (CGNP) will acquire 70 per cent of Energy Metals (EME) which has the Bigrlyi uranium project in the Northern Territory, where there is already a JORC-compliant economic uranium resource (as well as vanadium). This is almost certain to succeed because Jindalee Resources (JRL) owns 40 per cent of EME and has agreed to the deal…………………..
it’s still cheap as chips for what could be Australia’s next uranium mine to be developed. CGNP has four operating nuclear power stations and what better for it than to control its own mines, rather than have to be at the mercy of the open market?
Uranium follows rare earths as China eyes strategic control | The Australian
Uranium for China, disadvantage for aborigines
Christina Macpherson 9 Sept 09
Today’s news mix shows where the Rudd government’s priorities lie, and where they get their policy from.
I guess that the uranium mining companies designed the new uranium royalties bill. After all, everybody knows that the commercial nuclear power industry is in terminal illness. Also the uranium industry could collapse almost instantly, in the event of a nuclear accident. Therefore, let’s rip off the aborigines now, while the going’s good, and too bad, if the industry all goes sour for them later.
Only in nuclear weapons dictatorships like China is the nuclear industry more secure. As government and Ziggy Switkowski delight in China’s uranium appetite, the uranium salesmen conveniently ignore China’s nuclear weapons buildup.
And with the help of the mainstream media, the Australian public sleeps on – “She’ll be right, mate”. But will she?
Rudd Uranium Bill suits miners, disadvantages aborigines
Rudd Uranium Bill will increase Aboriginal disadvantage
The Greens Scott LudlamTuesday 8th September 2009A Federal Bill that will apply a uniform royalty regime to all uranium mining projects in the Northern Territory will increase Aboriginal disadvantage, the Australian Greens say. Continue reading
Ziggy Switkowski backs China’s push for control of Australian uranium
China makes power play for uranium
The Age BARRY FITZGERALD AND MATHEW MURP 9 Sept 09A BEIJING directive to its mushrooming nuclear power industry to step up the acquisition of strategic uranium supplies has led to an agreed $85 million takeover bid for Energy Metals, the main partner in the Northern Territory Bigrlyi uranium deposit. Continue reading
Review: nuke news of the past week
By Christina Macpherson
Australia: ERA hypes up its image, by flying a Melbourne Age reporter to the Ranger uranium mine, to report on Rio Tinto’s drive to employ aboriginal uranium miners.
International: US residents near nuclear plants to get anti-radiation pills. France’s nuclear company AREVA in dire financial straits due to troubles of its ‘new generation’ reactors in Finland and France. America and China to push for nuclear to be part of Copenhagen climate program
Protest against Marathon uranium explorer, but will South Aust govt listen?
Marathon fight over what lies beneath the Flinders Ranges
THE AUSTRALIAN Pia Akerman and Michael Owen | September 07, 2009
“………………..The anti-Marathon lobby is made up of an array of strange bedfellows including greenies, scientists, tourists and politicians – most notably federal Liberal heavyweight Nick Minchin, who, as resources minister, approved the nearby Beverley uranium mine. Continue reading
1 This month
of the week – Australians for War Powers Reform (AWPR)
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