STAND FIRM ON LYNAS, MINISTERS TOLD
They must demand the firm ship out radioactive waste, say NGOs
MINISTERS should be firm in demanding that Lynas Malaysia ship out radioactive waste, said Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) and Consumers Association of Penang (CAP).
Their president, S.M. Mohamed Idris, said the plant should cease operations if it failed to adhere to the demand.
He said the statement by Entrepreneur Development Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Redzuan Md Yusof — that Lynas Malaysia should not be compelled to export its waste back to Australia as the plant’s investments were “too big to ignore” — was shocking.
“We find the statement unacceptable as it suggests that Redzuan is putting the profits of the company over and above the safety of the people and the environment.”
Idris said it was not the minister’s mandate to interfere with the Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change Ministry, which was responsible for handling the toxic and radioactive waste generated by the Lynas plant in Gebeng, Kuantan.
“We support the ministry’s decision in asking the Lynas plant to remove and dispose of its radioactive waste contained in the Water Leach Purification (WLP) process, which is in accordance with the two letters of undertaking given by the company to the government in February and March 2012,” he said yesterday.
Idris said Redzuan should have supported the efforts by Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change Minister Yeo Bee Yin to ensure that Lynas stuck to the government’s plans.
“It is unacceptable that he is taking Lynas’ side. SAM and CAP have been calling for the waste to be exported, as it cannot be regarded as naturally-occurring radioactive material but is technologically-enhanced.”
He said claims that radioactive elements, such as uranium and thorium, in WLP could be diluted to make them less radioactive were baseless.
Idris said uranium and thorium and their by-products could remain in the ecosystem for a long time and the best option was to send the waste back to Australia.
“SAM and CAP urge ministers to stand firm in demanding that Lynas ship out radioactive waste, and for the plant to stop operations if it does not do so as soon as possible.”