Confusion and deception over Lynas’ plans for toxic and radioactive wastes in Malaysia
The Lynas chairman Nicholas Curtis claims that they have permission from the government to store the waste onsite forever. On the other hand, AELB’s (Atomic Energy Licensing Board) director general Raja Datuk Abdul Aziz Raja refutes that claim in saying that the plant can only store waste temporarily. 
Foreign experts begin Lynas probe The Star Online: troon May 30, 2011 An Australian Co., Lynas, is building the REE refinery in Malaysia. However, that refinery can never be deemed as safe, because accidents happen. It is not only the thorium 232 radioactive alpha particles, those from the ores and the waste, that could accidentally be released into the air as dust, (lung cancer), and into water, (liver cancers etc.), but there is the possiblility of accidental release of highly toxic gases that are REE refining by-products, such as fluorine, radon, (radio-active), and sulphur dioxide. There will also be millions of gallons of waste water loaded with toxic cadmium and other carcinogenic, DNA damaging, heavy metals. Continue reading The rush to dump Australia’s thorium and uranium wastes in Malaysia
Unknown to the public the poorly done Preliminary Environmental Impact Assessment (PEIA) for Lynas does not cover the radiation and health concerns……
- the space for underground wastes storage cells is very limited due to the groundwater being extremely close to the surface;
- the ground is susceptible to subsidence as it is a former peat swamp area…. CAP and SAM recommend that:
- The Lynas project be stopped in order to address the issues, including the Wastes Management Plan, which an Australian mining expert reported as being ‘yet to be disclosed by Lynas’;.
Lynas plant rushed ahead before radiation study Malaysia Kini 23 May 11 SM Mohamed Idris, president of Consumers Association of Penang and Sahabat Alam Malaysia — The Lynas plant in Kuantan is unravelling into a nightmare. The lanthamide concentrates (rare earths) from Australia that Lynas will import into Malaysia contain thorium AND uranium, which suggests the processing in Kuantan will produce massive amount of radioactive wastes. Continue reading
Lynas Corporation deceptive about is plans for radioactive waste in Malaysia
Leaving behind a toxic legacy for decades’ G Vinod|Free Malaysia Today May 19, 2011
Australian environment groups believe that the Lynas Corporation is hiding the facts from the public.
PETALING JAYA: Two Australian environmental groups believe that the Lynas rare earth mine in Kuantan would leave a toxic legacy for decades. The environmental groups – Friends of the Earth Australia and the Conservation Council of Western Australia – said that by not revealing the data before embarking on the project in Kuantan, company has something to hide.
The groups in a joint statement said they want the Kuantan project stopped until the company reveals its environmental assessment data of the site.
In its criticism against Lynas Corporation Limited, Friends of the Earth Australia spokesperson Natalie Lowrey said it was improper for Lynas to withhold details on how it plans to manage its radioactive components from public scrutiny.
“By not revealing the data before embarking on the project in Kuantan, it indicates they have something to hide. We believe the project would leave a toxic legacy for decades,” said Lowrey.
Conservation Council of Western Australia spokesperson Mia Pepper said Australians were also concerned as Lynas plans to ship its thorium to Malaysia via the Fremantle port in Western Australia.
“And the thorium will be transported through hessian bags, the same method used by Magellan to transport lead which caused lead contamination outside its shipping containers,” said Pepper……… Yesterday, Western Australia MP Lynn MacLaren had called on the State Transport Minister, Troy Buswell, to stop the shipment of Lynas’ Thorium deposits to Malaysia….. http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/2011/05/19/leaving-behind-a-toxic-legacy-for-decades/
China’s scandalous record on nuclear power and civil liberties
It is scandalous that Ziggy Switkowski is touting China as a great leader in nuclear power. All this while knowing how very dangerous is the nuclear industry, and how China is both excessively secretive and tramples on dissent and curtail civil liberties.
Nuclear issues are one area of significant environmental concern in China and occupied territories such as Tibet and East Turkestan. Considerable ecological damage caused by nuclear production, and uranium mining and the disposal of radioactive waste within China and the occupied territories of Tibet and East Turkestan……… – Christina Macpherson
“…..it has been reported that secret nuclear testing has also been going on with grave effects on the health of the people in the surrounding areas. An investigative report by London’s newspaper, The Independent, revealed that the areas surrounding the Lop Nor nuclear test site—on the eastern edge of the Taklamakan Desert—have a cancer rate that is 35 percent higher than the rest of China and higher than average rates of Leukemia, tumors, and birth defects such as cleft palates. …….A UK television documentary ‘Death on The Silk Road’ (Channel Four 1998) secretly filmed inside East Turkestan documented a range of illnesses linked to radiation exposure…………Greenpeace Ignores Tibet’s Nuclear Poisoning « Tibettruth
“………………Sun Xiaodi, in Gansu province, complained for years about pollution from a uranium mine and recently accused local officials of fraud. In July he was sentenced to two years in a labor-reform facility for “illegally providing state secrets overseas” and “rumor-mongering.” His daughter Sun Haiyan was sentenced to 18 months on the same charges………” Zhang Zuhua and Jiang Qisheng — To help fix the climate, fix human rights in China – washingtonpost.com
Australian Politics – Secret Deals on Nuclear Waste Importing
“We would return an enormous amount of money’ – Bob Hawke
Mr Sweeney said there was a bi-partisan push for nuclear waste dumping….“We are seeing increasing amounts of back-room deals in the wake of Fukushima in Japan,” he said.
Nuclear debate heats up behind closed doors, Government News, :06/05/2011 By Lilia Guan, Additional reporting by Paul Hemsley According to Bob Hawke the greatest contribution Australia could make to the nuclear cycle would be to take the world’s nuclear waste.
Australian company Lynas wants Malaysia to take its radioactive wastes
Alarm bells were raised when a report in April questioned how Lynas was going to dispose the waste material from the plant ……
there are questions as to why Lynas did not build the plant in Australia instead if it did not pose any danger to the environment and the people?
Baffling Perak can think of 2nd rare earth project when Japan radiation still fresh, The Star (Malaysia) – By B.K. Sidhu 29 April 11, IT is baffling that Perak can even think of accommodating a second rare earth project when the horrors of radiation in Japan are still fresh on the people’s minds and there was a major disaster involving a rare earth plant in the state just a decade ago. Continue reading
Atomic bomb tests’ radiation kept secret from Australians
British monitoring of water commenced in the 1950s. The records of this early monitoring are unavailable in Australia. As British nuclear weapons testing in Australia commenced in the early l950s, this data is of great importance.
Propaganda Paul Langley’s Nuclear History Blog 13 April 11, Introduction From 1957 to 1978 the Australian Government carried out dissections on the bodies of people who had died of illness or accident. These dissections were carried out to monitor the amount of Strontium 90, a radioactive element, absorbed by Australians. Strontium 90 was a component of the fallout deposited from nuclear tests conducted in Australia, the Pacific and China. Continue reading
BHP Billiton’s coy silence about Olympic Dam uranium mining
Missing from BHP Billiton’s announcement was any mention of the fact that, by the time Olympic Dam reaches full production (and the time frame for what is proposed to be a four stage expansion remains highly uncertain) it will be the world’s biggest uranium producer…..
Silent on uraniumThe Australian Matthew Stevens March 31, 2011 “……. FUKUSHIMA’S nuclear shadow seems to have reached all the way to BHP Billiton headquarters in Melbourne, with the Global Australian yesterday confirming Olympic Dam’s move into full feasibility, but remaining cautiously mute about what that might mean for the future giant’s uranium production. Continue reading
Uranium deception and confusion of Northern Territory politician
“It details 4th generation reactors that essentially don’t require more uranium mining…in forwarding that article around he’s essentially shooting the argument in the foot because he’s advocating for uranium mining on one front when [4th generation reactors] use radioactive waste.”..
Conlan in hot seat – ABC Alice Springs – Australian Broadcasting Corporation11 March, 2011 By Emma Sleath Country Liberals politician Matt Conlan is in damage control following an NT News article alleging he was secretly in support of the proposed Angela Pamela uranium mine despite publicly opposing it. Continue reading
Martin Ferguson’s lie about medical radioactive waste
Ferguson has been selling his contentious National Radioactive Waste Management Bill on the false notion that such a dump, to be developed at Muckaty Station in the Northern Territory, is in the community interest as a repository for Australia’s nuclear medicine waste.
Furphies abound in Ferguson’s nuclear agenda, Sydney Morning Herald, Dr Peter Karamoskos, March 2, 2011, As Resources Minister Martin Ferguson pushes Australia into a new future of expanding uranium exports to southern Asia and pushes nuclear power back onto the political agenda, the public will have to be duped into accepting the reality of nuclear waste dumps on Australian soil. Continue reading
The devious politics of uranium mining – example Arkaroola
To thread their way through environmental protection laws and keep Marathon investing, supporters of mining in the sanctuary have performed a range of unedifying gymnastics.
For years, Labor has joined with Marathon in a flagrant misreading of the SA Development Plan.
SA Labor buckling on Arkaroola uranium?, Green Left Weekly, February 27, 2011By Renfrey Clarke,”……….As insurance against lingering environmentalism among government ministers, Marathon — one of whose largest shareholders is the Chinese mining group CITIC — has brought a suite of former Labor politicians on board. Continue reading
Australian Government secretive on airport radiation scanners
public health and security experts remain divided on the risks of radiation exposure and whether the machines provide anything more than “security theatre”….no material has been released for public discussion.
Controversial body scanners set for airport security Karen Dearne The Australian February 22,THE Gillard government is preparing to introduce virtual strip-search scanners at airports despite unresolved privacy issues and fears about the $28.5 million program. Continue reading
Kloppers of BHP behind the scenes – Wiklileaks
Kloppers had asked US diplomats for insights on China’s intentions and said he would be willing to trade secrets in order to obtain that information
Drilling Kloppers Business Spectator, Supratim Adhikari, 15 Feb 2011, “….WikiLeaks. According to leaked US diplomatic cable, Kloppers took personal credit for derailing the $23.9 billion tie-up between Rio Tinto and Chinalco, describing the move as a strategic victory for BHP. Continue reading
Australia: the nuclear hypocrite
the likelihood is that Australian uranium has found its way into nuclear weapons, clandestinely or otherwise…..Heathgate is a fully owned subsidiary of the US multinational General Atomics, whose interests in developing nuclear technologies include arms manufacture:
“…..What the WikiLeak does highlight is the history of hypocrisy in Australia’s policy on the associated matter of uranium and nuclear power, especially when the governing party has been the ALP, which struggles to resolve its moral and intellectual confusion. Continue reading
Wikileaks: secret military spy satellite deals, Australia and USA
A leaked cable from February 2008 revealed a secret deal between the Australian and US governments to share secret intelligence from spy satellites,….The operations went against statements in the DWP. Then-defence department deputy secretary Mike Pezzullo told US diplomats the DWP had been carefully written to fool the ALP “Left” faction — which opposes US plans to develop a missile defence shield.
WikiLeaks exposes Aus. gov’t, Green Left, February 13, 2011By Ash Pemberton WikiLeaks has released secret US diplomatic cables that show secret Australian government negotiations Continue reading
1 This month
of the week – Disrupting War & Militarism in Oceania. Active solidarity. Radical practice.
Antinuclear 