Lynas Gov T Must Put Public Health Environment At Centre




Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) is extremely concerned by news reports that the government has decided to allow Lynas to continue operating its plant for at least another six months. This is despite the fact that the company has not safely disposed of its hazardous radioactive wastes, either by exporting them or by already placing them in a suitable permanent disposal facility
The present licence given by the previous government to Lynas Malaysia to operate in the country is expiring on Sept 2, 2019. Therefore, before that date, the present government has to decide whether to renew the licence, or to let it end, or to renew it for a certain period with conditions
Lynas Malaysia’s operation generates two types of waste: the Water Leach Purification (WLP) process which contains radioactive wastes including thorium and uranium and the neutralisation underflow residue (NUF) which is also hazardous as it contains heavy metals. Both of these wastes are subject to regulations under Malaysia’s laws
The present arrangement for the Lynas operation includes the condition that the company has to deal with the problem of the wastes that it generates. These conditions included the following:
the WLP waste be recycled orthe WLP be disposed of in a permanent disposal facility (PDF) orthe WLP be exported to the country of origin (viz. Australia).Regarding the first option, although there were research and experiments by Lynas since 2015 for recycling its WLP and NUF wastes into a soil conditioner called Condisoil for the planting paddy, oil palm, corn, coconut etc. there has been no definite approved plan for thisIn our view, such recycling should not be approved. If such recycling is allowed to take place, it could have very adverse effects not only on human health but also on Malaysia’s economy. It is likely that foreign consumers would reject using the country’s agricultural products in which radioactive material has been used as fertiliser. This would include causing new problems for Malaysian palm oil which already faces marketing problems in Europe. It is also possible that local consumers who are afraid of the risks of consuming food products containing radioactive material could switch to buying imported products. This is on top of the actual risk of health hazards faced by Malaysians who consume such products
Therefore, we strongly oppose this option of the recycling of the wastes for use as a soil conditioner
On the second option of the permanent disposal facility (PDF), there has not yet been any disposal of the waste in a PDF although many years have passed since the Lynas plant started operating. A definite site for the PDF for the WLP has not yet been selected
The previous and present governments should explain why the company was allowed to continue operating all these years when the company had not put in place a PDF. Instead, the accumulated WLP waste had been stored within the vicinity of the plant, which is not safe
Thus far, according to reports, the WLP wastes amount to an accumulated 451,464 metric tonnes, while the NUF waste totals over 1.113 million metric tonnes, accumulated over six years and the wastes are growing by the day
Having not secured a permanent site until now, Lynas appears to be searching for places to be the venue for the PDF. Suggestions have been made that the wastes be dumped in disused mines. We strongly oppose such a move
These wastes cannot be regarded as naturally-occurring radioactive material or Norm but as technologically-enhanced NORM (Tenorm) as the naturally radioactive material has not been left in the ground in its natural form but has been made dangerous by technological processes which involve removal from the ground and concentrated by mechanical and chemical processes. Claims that the radioactive elements such as uranium and thorium in the WLP can be diluted and made less radioactive do not hold water and are unfounded
Uranium and thorium and their daughters have very long half-lives of millions and billions of years, thus managing this waste which will remain radioactive for an incredibly long time is no easy task
In addition, there is no such thing as a safe level of radiation, as any dose has an effect, as stated by the reports of the US National Academy of Sciences Biological Effects of Ionising Radiation (Bier), with the latest being the seventh report. Just because governments set what is known as "permissible levels" of exposure, this does not mean that these levels are safe, as they are economic and other considerations which are taken into account in setting "permissible levels" even when there are risks to public health and the environment
If any potential site is chosen, it is our view that many conditions would have to be met for the waste to be "safely" stored. In fact, there is no method by which radioactive waste can be "safely" stored. Even with the best state of the art, and a fortified site dump facility is built, there is no guarantee that the site can safely store the waste for years, decades or centuries
Experience with the Asia Rare Earth (ARE) plant in Bukit Merah, Ipoh shows that addressing the clean-up of the temporary site, building and maintaining the permanent site, can be expensive. is also expensive, not including the maintenance of the waste disposal site. According to new reports Mitsubishi Chemicals of Japan, ARE’s majority owner, spent US$100,000 just to clean up the site of the ARE plant
In the Lynas case, the cost of building and maintaining the permanent site should be borne by the company. Is Lynas prepared to finance, build and maintain the PDF over the long-term, given the long-term radioactive hazard of its wastes
It has been reported that Lynas has agreed to shift some of the rare earth operations to Australia so that material shipped to Malaysia in future will no longer contain radioactive material. However, the details of such a plan have not been given. Many questions arise in this regard:Up to which stage of production will be conducted in Australia?How do we know there is no radioactive material in what is shipped to Malaysia?When will these operations commence in Australia? How much more radioactive wastes will be generated in Malaysia until then?Until details are given, we are unable to assess the future situation. In any case, it is intolerable that Lynas will be allowed to generate even more wastes in the meanwhile
According to news reports, the government has decided to allow Lynas to continue its operations for another six months
During these six months, can the company find a permanent disposal site that is “safe” and suitable? Can it get the approval of the federal and state governments and the agreement of the residents in the area in which the site is located? Can the Environmental Impact Assessment and the Radiological Impact Assessment that is mandated be done and approved by then? Can Lynas build the facility and transfer the large amount of accumulated waste during that period
These are questions the public would like answered. There are reasonable doubts that all the processes can be undertaken in six months
In the event that the PDF cannot be put in place within the six months, what does the government intend to do? It should not be that more and more extensions of time are given to Lynas, which up to now is already being given special treatment, such as a 12-year tax exemption
Given this whole situation, we ask for the following:The government should ask Lynas to stop its operations when its license expires on Sept 2.The government should require Lynas to export its accumulated radioactive waste out of the country.Given that a lot of financial resources required in managing the wastes, the government should assess how much it would cost to dispose of or export the waste according to the different scenarios.A review should be made of the adequacy of the existing relevant regulations and enforcement.The government should also review and address the NUF waste storage and disposal given that it also contains toxic and hazardous substances such as heavy metals.The government should not welcome the entry of any new companies or new operations that are linked to rare earths or that generate radioactive and other hazardous wastes, especially if these have been disallowed from operating in their countries of origin.We wish to reiterate that Malaysia must not be treated as a dumping ground for hazardous wastes and that the government must put the long-term interests of public health and the environment ahead of the interests of foreign companies whose operations generate toxic wastes
The writer, Meenakshi Raman is president, Sahabat Alam Malaysia. - Mkini

Artikel ini hanyalah simpanan cache dari url asal penulis yang berkebarangkalian sudah terlalu lama atau sudah dibuang :

http://malaysiansmustknowthetruth.blogspot.com/2019/08/lynas-govt-must-put-public-health.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+MalaysiansMustKnowTheTruth+%28Malaysians+Must+K

Kempen Promosi dan Iklan
Kami memerlukan jasa baik anda untuk menyokong kempen pengiklanan dalam website kami. Serba sedikit anda telah membantu kami untuk mengekalkan servis percuma aggregating ini kepada semua.

Anda juga boleh memberikan sumbangan anda kepada kami dengan menghubungi kami di sini
Lynas Are We Prostituting Our Environment And Health

Lynas Are We Prostituting Our Environment And Health

papar berkaitan - pada 13/8/2019 - jumlah : 291 hits
Nathaniel Tan The Star THE Lynas controversy can probably be summarised into a simple question Is it worth having Lynas here in Malaysia The bulk of the answer to this question can likely be determined by doing a simple cost benefit analysi...
Lynas Malaysia Receives Gold Class Occupational Safety And Health Award

Lynas Malaysia Receives Gold Class Occupational Safety And Health Award

papar berkaitan - pada 14/8/2019 - jumlah : 283 hits
KUCHING Lynas Malaysia s continued commitment to the highest occupational safety and health standards has been recognised with a Gold class award from The Malaysian Society for Occupational Safety and Health After a stringent auditing proce...
Gov T Must Act On High Food Prices

Gov T Must Act On High Food Prices

papar berkaitan - pada 16/8/2019 - jumlah : 163 hits
The prices of food items in the market place are exorbitant Food is certainly the most important expenditure of households Malaysians in the B40 group spent a total of 48 percent of their household expenditure on food Certainly the poor wil...
Health Ministry Cautions Public Over Use Of Seven Beauty Products Containing Mercury

Health Ministry Cautions Public Over Use Of Seven Beauty Products Containing Mercury

papar berkaitan - pada 7/8/2019 - jumlah : 526 hits
KUALA LUMPUR The Health Ministry has cautioned the public against buying and using seven beauty products which have been found to contain mercury Mercury absorbs through the skin and causes damage to the kidney and nervous system It can als...
Gov T Has Recovered Rm925 1m Of Misappropriated 1mdb Funds So Far

Gov T Has Recovered Rm925 1m Of Misappropriated 1mdb Funds So Far

papar berkaitan - pada 30/7/2019 - jumlah : 237 hits
The government has managed to recover RM925 1 million of misappropriated 1MDB related funds as of July 11 2019 This was revealed by Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng in a written parliamentary reply responding to Nibong Tebal MP Mansor Othman T...
Saifuddin Abdullah The Deep State Is Trying To Undermine Harapan Gov T

Saifuddin Abdullah The Deep State Is Trying To Undermine Harapan Gov T

papar berkaitan - pada 30/7/2019 - jumlah : 270 hits
Foreign Affairs Minister Saifuddin Abdullah has reiterated that the deep state in Malaysia is out to undermine the Pakatan Harapan government Back in April Saifuddin had similarly against a deep state that may want to remove the new governm...
Muhyiddin Gov T To Provide Skills Training For Trafficked Victims

Muhyiddin Gov T To Provide Skills Training For Trafficked Victims

papar berkaitan - pada 5/8/2019 - jumlah : 213 hits
Putrajaya will provide elementary skill training and certificates for trafficked victims in the country this year announced Home Minister Muhyiddin Yassin This is part of Putrajaya s effort in improving the lives of the trafficked victims h...
Johor Gov T Taking Hard Line Stand In Orang Laut Seletar Case Claims Lawyer

Johor Gov T Taking Hard Line Stand In Orang Laut Seletar Case Claims Lawyer

papar berkaitan - pada 7/8/2019 - jumlah : 278 hits
The lawyer for the Orang Laut Seletar group seeking compensation for their ancestral lands in Stulang Laut claims that the state government is taking a hard line in the case and tying it down with technicalities This comes despite a stateme...
Minister Gov T To Decide On Takeover Of 4 Highways By Month S End

Minister Gov T To Decide On Takeover Of 4 Highways By Month S End

papar berkaitan - pada 9/8/2019 - jumlah : 239 hits
The Malaysian cabinet is expected to make a decision pertaining to the proposed takeover of four highway concessions by end of this month after scrutinising the findings of the study carried out by the Works Ministry Works Minister Baru Bia...
Tested American Metal S The Disciple Sonic Infused Whiskey

The Disciple A Mixed Metal Harley Bobber With El Knucklehead Power

The Incredible Tale Of The Talking Tortoise A Fifth Century Ethiopian Exploration Of Wisdom And Humility

Aquarius Career Horoscope December 2021

Xhensa And The Whispering Stones A Tale Of Courage Curiosity And Talking Rocks

Leo Promise Report 2021

Mighty White Blackpepper Chicken Bun

10 Health Benefits Of Cashew Nuts


echo '';
Biodata Terkini Penyanyi Liza Aziz Peserta Gegar Vaganza 2024 Musim 11 GV11 Adik Beradik Kepada Azlina Aziz

Senarai Peserta Gegar Vaganza 2024 Musim 11 GV11 Tonton Konsert Minggu 1 Pada 24 November Live Di Astro Ria Sooka Online

Resepi Sos Hijau Vietnam Roll Paling Lemak dan Berkrim

Biodata Terkini Sheila Abdull Peserta Gegar Vaganza 2024 Musim 11 GV11 Penyanyi Lagu Mungkinkah

Biodata Terkini Illa Sabry Peserta Gegar Vaganza 2024 Musim 11 GV11 Penyanyi Lagu Keranamu Kekasih


Segar Dari Kebun

Kulit Glowing Bermula Dari Pinggan Rahsia Makanan Yang Wajib Cuba

Mereka Yang Tertewas Filem Genre Keagamaan Kini Di Pawagam

Mengenal Pesona Kerajinan Tangan Bali Keunikan Dan Daya Tarik Wisata Yang Memikat

Fakultas Matematika Dan Ilmu Pengetahuan Alam Jantung Ilmu Pengetahuan Dan Teknologi

Barakallah Fii Umrik Along