Antinuclear

Australian news, and some related international items

Colorado legislating to force uranium miners to clean up

Lawmakers worry a new national focus on nuclear energy will allow mines to postpone cleanup of radioactive wastes while they ramp up production.

(USA) Colo. Senate gives initial backing to uranium bill, Washington Examiner, Associated Press04/27/10 DENVER — The state Senate has given initial backing to requiring uranium mines and mills to clean up nuclear waste before accepting more radioactive material. Continue reading

April 28, 2010 Posted by | uranium, water | , , , , | Leave a comment

Nuclear Waste Dump: three recommended Australian Defence Force sites excluded. Why?

A bill presently before parliament rules out the possibility of using one of three previously nominated sites on Australian Defence Force land in the Northern Territory,

Plan For Nuclear Waste Dump Faces Backlash, IPS ipsnews.net, By Stephen de Tarczynski, MELBOURNE, Apr 26, 2010Aboriginal landowners in Australia’s far north are battling government plans to construct this country’s long-term nuclear waste storage facility on their land… Continue reading

April 27, 2010 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, politics | , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Chernobyl – a nuclear accident that continues

More than 2,000 villages around Chernobyl were contaminated by radioactivity. More than 330,000 people were evacuated and relocated. Statistics predict approximately 270,000 cancers and 93,000 fatal cancer cases will be caused by Chernobyl. At least three million children required medical treatment.

Chernobyl Day – Nuclear Reaction, 26 April 2010. Twenty four years ago today, the Number 4 reactor exploded at Chernobyl. It was the worst nuclear accident the world has ever seen. Continue reading

April 27, 2010 Posted by | Uncategorized | , , , , , | Leave a comment

Australia’s forgotten soldiers, victims of Maralinga atomic bomb testing

he was required to sign the official secrets act when returning from Maralinga, which prevented him from talking about the site for 30 years.

McGee’s lost men forgotten in fallout , Adelaide Now, Bryan Littlely, April 24, 2010 FRANK McGee is looking for the lost men of Maralinga, but fears most of his lads have died without recognition for the work they did cleaning up our nuclear disgrace

  • The former Royal Air Force Flight Lieutenant commanded a party of 35 airmen whose task it was to collect, bury and salvage items from the Maralinga atomic test sites over two years from 1966. Continue reading

April 24, 2010 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, weapons and war | , , , , , , | Leave a comment

India in now way able to safeguard radiation materials

The radiation mishap has exposed the unpreparedness and ill preparedness of the nation.

Government on defensive on Delhi radiation exposure | CalcuttaTube New Delhi, April 20 While asserting that adequate safeguards would  be put in place to prevent a recurrence, the government Tuesday found itself on the defensive in the Rajya Sabha as members across the spectrum questioned how people had been exposed to radiation in Delhi.

The government also admitted to the need for tightening registration procedures for scrap dealers and for a law to compensate victims in an incident of the kind that occurred in the capital’s Mayapuri scrap market that has left seven people battling for their lives….. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who was present in the house, sat silently through the hour-long discussion….
‘The minister’s statement is not convincing,’ Raja said, adding: ‘The radiation mishap has exposed the unpreparedness and ill preparedness of the nation. There has been a regulatory failure and lack of professional competence.’ Government on defensive on Delhi radiation exposure | CalcuttaTube

April 24, 2010 Posted by | Uncategorized | , , | Leave a comment

Australian Nuclear Free Alliance call for health checks near uranium mine

Call for health monitoring near uranium mine, ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation), By Sally Bothroyd  Apr 22, 2010 A member of the Australian Nuclear Free Alliance says there should be a program to monitor the health of people who live near the Ranger uranium mine. Continue reading

April 23, 2010 Posted by | health, Northern Territory, uranium | , , , , , | Leave a comment

Did Russia’s lack of nuclear security enable smuggling of enriched uranium?

Saakashvili accuses Russia of supplying enriched uranium to Caucasus, News.Az 23 April 2010, President of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili accused Russia “of creating unstableness”.According to RBK, in the opinion of the Georgian leader, the unstableness enables the smugglers to deliver the highly enriched uranium to the Caucasus………..The Georgian leader underlined that Russia should be responsible for maintaining control of the nuclear weapon distribution in these territories so long as “it has occupied them”. In his opinion, the incidents with the highly enriched uranium threaten Georgia’s safety. News.Az – Saakashvili accuses Russia of supplying enriched uranium to Caucasus

April 23, 2010 Posted by | 1, uranium | , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Big welcome for aboriginal anti-nuclear protesors in Martin Ferguson’s electorate

at left, Dianne Stokes. by Christian Macpherson 22 April 2010. The Northcote Town Hall right in the heart of Martin Ferguson’s electorate, was packed last night, as local and Melbourne residents welcomed two courageous Aboriginals from the Tennant Creek area in the Northern Territory.

As Martin Ferguson hides in the safety of his Melbourne bunker, not having the guts to visit the local residents of the Muckaty Station area (planned nuclear waste dump) – well, Diane Stokes and Mark Chungaloo came to visit Ferguson’s area.

Melbourne heard of the strong opposition of four aboriginal clans, of local non-aboriginals, and of the Northern territory government – to the new National Radioactive Waste Management Bill –  – which is intended to override all their rights, and impose a nuclear waste dump on their land.

Perhaps Martin Ferguson, Australia’s Minister For Promoting the Nuclear Industry, will have a few voters to worry about, come the federal election.

Of course, Australia’s mainstream media, ever subservient to their corporate mining links, ignored this as large and attentive crowd was informed about this issue, Dr Bill Williams spoke on the health dangers of ioinsing radiation,. Natalie Wasley and Dave Sweeney spoke on the draconian legislation planned. Alex Bhathal, Greens candidate for the electorate of Batman,  received warm applause

April 22, 2010 Posted by | AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, Christina reviews, uranium | , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Local govt opposes nuclear waste dump in Switzerland

Canton slams radioactive waste plans, World Radio Switzerland, 21 April 2010, Plans for a radioactive waste disposal unit in the canton of Schaffhausen has come under fire in a study published by the local government.The National Cooperative for the Disposal of Radioactive Waste outlined two possible sites for the unit: one in Zurich Weinland and one near Sudranden in the canton of Schaffhasusen.That’s just a few kilometers from the city of Schaffhausen, where 80 percent of the canton’s population live and work.

Today’s report says a disposal centre would have a detrimental effect on the town of Schaffhausen, and on the development of both the canton’s economy and population.The report estimates it would lose between 15 and 33 million francs in tax revenue a year and the population would drop by up to 5,000 people. WRS | Canton slams radioactive waste plans

April 22, 2010 Posted by | 1 | , , | Leave a comment

ERA fails to come clean on Ranger uranium leak

ERA fails to come clean on Ranger uranium leak ,  Scott Ludlam, 21st April 2010, Ranger Uranium Mine. Energy Resources of Australia (ERA) has failed to come clean with shareholders and the people of the Northern Territory about the contaminated water leaking from the Ranger uranium mine in Kakadu National Park during today’s Annual General Meeting in Darwin. Continue reading

April 22, 2010 Posted by | Northern Territory, secrets and lies, uranium | , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

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

April 21, 2010 Posted by | aboriginal issues, AUSTRALIA - NATIONAL, uranium | , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

USA moves to compensate atomic radiation victims

“Uranium and weapons development of the Cold War era left a gruesome legacy in communities of mine workers and downwinders,”

Bipartisan bill would compensate more downwinders  Legislation covers people affected in seven states. By Judy Fahys The Salt Lake Tribune04/20/2010 People throughout seven Western states — including anywhere in Utah — who were exposed to radiation from atomic testing and the uranium industry would be eligible for government compensation, under proposed new congressional legislation…….. Continue reading

April 21, 2010 Posted by | 1, uranium | , , , , | Leave a comment

Radioactive poisoning and water exploitation in Niger

“pasture economy is about to disappear in north-eastern Niger because of the dozens of mine projects installed there which over-exploit the scarce water resources of the area”.

Niger: French State-Owned Company ‘Poisoning’ Poor | Coalition Against Nuclear Energy, Julio Godoy, April 2010, Paris — Recent research by Greenpeace suggests that French state-owned company Areva’s public claims of decontamination of populated areas near uranium mines in Niger are false. High radio-activity persists in towns and rural areas near the mines, affecting some 80,000 people… Continue reading

April 21, 2010 Posted by | 1, uranium, water | , , , , | Leave a comment

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.

April 19, 2010 Posted by | 1, uranium, water | , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Melbourne protest against Ferguson’s nuclear waste dump plan

VIDEO No Dump at Muckaty – Melbourne, 12 April 2010 — EngageMedia

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

April 17, 2010 Posted by | politics, uranium, Victoria | , , , , , , , | Leave a comment