Antinuclear

Australian news, and some related international items

Colorado Town Council opposes uranium mill

the chief concern for the town is the danger a uranium mill could pose to the region’s water and air quality….“The increased presence of radionuclide particles that will contaminate our surface water bodies, currently used as our municipal drinking water source, is of critical concern to the Town of Telluride.”….because it could affect the tourist population, he said, it endangers Telluride’s economy.

Town of Telluride protests uranium mill Town pens letter to CDPHE Telluride Daily Planet, By Katie Klingsporn, November 21, 2010 A group of environmentalists from the Telluride region has been hustling for more than a year to protest a uranium mill proposed to go up in Paradox Valley, a lonely, windswept valley in western Montrose County. Now, the Telluride Town Council is hopping aboard the opposition movement. Continue reading

November 22, 2010 Posted by | uranium, water | , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Nuclear waste group’s expensive spin to indigenous people

The money comes from the Nuclear Waste Management Organization, the group created by Canada’s nuclear electricity industry to find a new home for nuclear fuel waste.

(Canada) Nuclear group gives First Nations $1M for meetings, November 18, 2010  CBC News The Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations has been given $1 million to hold information sessions on nuclear waste storage, but environmentalists are leery about the idea. Continue reading

November 21, 2010 Posted by | uranium | , , , , , | Leave a comment

Cancer risks of radiation airport scanning, versus “pat-down” privacy concerns

the relationship between ionizing radiation  is  cumulative. The time you spend on an airplane + the time you spend getting dental or medical x-rays……….accumulates, every hour of it increasing the probability of tumor formation.

(USA) What full body scanner radiation means to you –  Examiner.com, 20 Nov 10, “………..The equipment creates images of your body by scanning a narrow beam of x-rays across your body. The x-rays either penetrate your skin and propagate through your body, the same way as hospital or dental x-rays, or are bounce off your skin, back toward a detector. These back-scattered x-rays are the ones from which the image is built. Continue reading

November 21, 2010 Posted by | Uncategorized | , , | Leave a comment

Secrecy as Australia does uranium deal with Russia

Australia opening new uranium markets to a country with the world’s largest arsenal of nuclear weapons and largest stockpile of weapons-usable material, much of it inadequately secured………..the secrecy surrounding a deal that is done on the sidelines of the G20 rather than in the proper light of Australian public scrutiny.

New Risks from Australia Russia Uranium Deal – On Line Opinion – By James Norman 19/11/2010 Late last week on the sidelines of the G20 meeting in South Korea, Prime Minister Julia Gillard ratified a deal with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev that should send shockwaves through the Australian electorate. Continue reading

November 18, 2010 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, politics international, uranium | , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Push in US Congress to sell nuclear power to Australia

The deal would allow for the United States to export nuclear technology, material and equipment to Australia for atomic power generation

Legislation Would Protect U.S.-Australia Atomic Trade Deal, NTI: Global Security Newswire , Nov. 18, 2010 Recently introduced U.S. legislation would ensure that a civilian nuclear trade agreement with Australia would still enter into force even if its time runs out in Congress, Continue reading

November 18, 2010 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, energy, politics international, uranium | , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Hanford’s radioactivity now in rabbits, mice?

Radioactive mouse hunt at Hanford, Seattle Times Newspaper, 18 Nov 10, After catching a radioactive rabbit on the Hanford nuclear reservation, cleanup workers are now hunting for a radioactive mouse.The Associated Press RICHLAND, Wash. —After catching a radioactive rabbit on the Hanford nuclear reservation, cleanup workers are now hunting for a radioactive mouse.The Tri-City Herald reports radioactive mouse droppings have been found in the same area where the radioactive rabbit droppings were found earlier this month north of Richland.….Local News | Radioactive mouse hunt at Hanford | Seattle Times Newspaper

November 18, 2010 Posted by | Uncategorized | , , , , , | Leave a comment

Renewed call against Martin Ferguson’s nuclear waste dump plan for Aboriginal land

“It is a long way from Northcote and Preston to Muckaty but today’s message to Minister Ferguson is simple: this issue is not out of sight and not out of mind and many people in this region do not support or accept this plan to push a radioactive waste dump on an unwilling community,”…Minister Ferguson’s dump plan is irresponsible, divisive and out of step with both international best practice and local community opinion.

Not in our name: locals say no to Minister’s dump plan , 18 Nov 10, Local community members will today join with representatives of the Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF) to deliver thousands of petitions calling on federal member Martin Ferguson to dump his plan for a controversial radioactive waste dump at Muckaty, north of Tennant Creek in the Northern Territory. Continue reading

November 18, 2010 Posted by | General News, uranium | , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Port Hope residents urged to sue govt over radioactive wastes

Atomic Energy Canada Ltd. has begun a 10-year, $260-million project to dig up 1.2 million cubic metres of low-level radioactive waste buried in numerous sites around town and store it in a huge covered mound.

Sue government over toxic town, activist tells Port Hope – thestar.com, 17 Nov 10 “…………. Radium is leaking into Lake Ontario and uranium from the Cameco refineryPort Hope’s air, drinking water, fish, beach, soil — virtually everything in the town of 16,000 poses a health risk from radioactivity, anti-nuclear activist Dr. Helen Caldicott warned an overflow crowd Tuesday night. Continue reading

November 18, 2010 Posted by | uranium | , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

BHP shareholder opposes dangerous expansion of Olympic Dam uranium mine

The production of radioactive tailings waste is projected to increase from 10million tonnes each year to 68million tonnes. The tailings dams now rise more than 20m above the landscape and cover many square kilometres. BHP Billiton intends these tailings piles to increase to 60m high and to cover up to 44sqkm.


BHP Billiton’s uranium quest has too many risksJohn Poppins, Canberra Times, Nov 15, 2010 Thousands of ordinary Australians, including my own family have benefited from BHP Billiton’s mining success. However, like increasing numbers of BHP Billiton shareholders, we are troubled by the long-term effects of some aspects of its mining projects. Continue reading

November 17, 2010 Posted by | Opposition to nuclear, South Australia, uranium | , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Aborigines, unions voice anger at BHP Billiton’s uranium mining plans

“The WA mining industry, and BHP in particular, has a poor worker safety record and uranium mining poses even greater health risks as uranium mine workers are exposed to radiation from the ore itself and from the inhalation of radon gas,”

Anger at BHP’s Yeelirrie uranium project  Perth Now Russell Quinn & Rebecca Lawson,  November 16, 2010 BHP Billiton has met with opposition from traditional owners over the development of the proposed Yeelirrie uranium mine at its annual general meeting in Perth today. Continue reading

November 17, 2010 Posted by | Opposition to nuclear, uranium, Western Australia | , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

UK nuclear workers’ organs removed for secret tests

scientists had long been concerned about workers’ exposure to radiation, essentially from plutonium. The analysis required a complex procedure in which organs were rendered to ash in a furnace and then dissolved in acid.

Families Shocked To Find UK Nuclear Workers’ Organs Were Removed For Secret Tests Peacefmonline.com,  17-Nov-2010 THE families of nuclear workers in the UK whose hearts, lungs and other organs were secretly tested for radiation for almost 40 years were let down by the authorities. Continue reading

November 17, 2010 Posted by | uranium | , , , , , , | Leave a comment

50 years later, Rum Jungle uranium mine site still radioactive

Recreation reserve closed due to radiation,  ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation), By Louisa Rebgetz  Nov 12, 2010 A Northern Territory recreational reserve where a uranium mine once operated has been closed due to low-level radiation in the area. The Rum Jungle Mine, about 100 kilometres south of Darwin, operated in the early 1960s.The area was rehabilitated in 1991 before becoming the Rum Jungle South Recreation Reserve.The Department of Resources says tests at the waste rock pile at the reserve have detected low-level radiation……Recreation reserve closed due to radiation – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

November 15, 2010 Posted by | environment, Northern Territory, uranium, wind | , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Radiation cancer risk of airport scanning has been underestimated

Dr. Sedat warned that radiation from the devices has been dangerously underestimated and could lead to an increased risk of skin cancer.

US  expert  hits  back at claims  of  `safe`  full-body  airport scanners, Sify News, 2010-11-12 An American professor has hit back at the US Government’s claim that full-body scanners at airports do not pose a health risk to travellers. Continue reading

November 15, 2010 Posted by | Uncategorized | , , | Leave a comment

Australian govt doing publicity spin as it hands Woomera over to uranium miners

Woomera-Land of the Dispossessed-Open for Mining Paul Langley’s Nuclear History Blog, November 12, 2010 Government announces Review of Woomera Prohibited Area .http://www.defence.gov.au/woomerareview/
!. Remove Aboriginal People – 40s-50s.
2. Bomb the crap out of the joint.
3. Do a “clean up” sufficient for the mining industry\
4. Do a PR exersize prior to handing to area to miners.
5. Hand the area to miners.

Throughout all this step 1 remains in force over the larger Prohibited Area.

We are at step 4

“Today Defence Minister Stephen Smith and Minister for Resources and Energy Martin Ferguson released the Interim Report of the Government Review of the Woomera Prohibited Area.
Public Comment on the Interim Report is welcome. Please send any comments to woomera.reviewteam@defence.gov.au by 3 December 2010………nuclearhistory « Paul Langley’s Nuclear History Blog

November 12, 2010 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, spinbuster, uranium | , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

A program to expand nuclear industry, not deal with wastes

in its name, charter, membership, words, and actions, the Blue Ribbon Commission on America’s Nuclear Future (BRC) seems more devoted to the nuclear power industry’s continuation, and even expansion, than it is to solving the radioactive waste problem.

The Blue Ribbon Commission on America’s Nuclear Future (BRC for short), Beyond Nuclear, 11 Nov 10,  It was created by President Obama and Energy Secretary Chu at the end of January, 2010. It was supposed to come up with “Plan B” for U.S. high-level radioactive waste management, now that they have so wisely and thankfully cancelled the geologically unsuitable and environmentally unjust Yucca Mountain, Nevada dumpsite proposal. Continue reading

November 12, 2010 Posted by | Uncategorized | , , , , | Leave a comment