Jennifer Marohasy

a forum for the discussion of issues concerning the natural environment

Greenpeace wants nuclear waste sent to Australia

By

I remember attending People for Nuclear Disarmament rallies in the early 1980s. We held placards and chanted – mostly against nuclear weapons testing at Muroroa Atoll by the French.

Twenty years later there has been no nuclear war. France now uses its nuclear technology to generate 80 percent of its electricity. France also specializes in reprocessing nuclear waste including spent nuclear fuel rods from Sydney’s Lucas Heights.

Lucus Heights is the base for the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO). ANSTO is undertaking a diverse range of nuclear-related research including developing radiopharmaceuticals and techniques for diagnosing and treating cancer, Alzheimer’s and multiple sclerosis.

Last Wednesday Greenpeace was successful in having a French Court of Appeal rule against the French company that processes ANSTO’s nuclear waste.

At issues is whether the company COGEMA, which has long specialized in reprocessing nuclear waste, has its paper work in order.

Greenpeace is hoping that the ruling could mean the nuclear waste from ANSTO has to be returned to Australia.

Why would Greenpeace want nuclear waste returned to Australia? I guess it could potentially be seen as a great publicity stunt.

Greenpeace is currently actively campaigning against nuclear power, reprocessing and waste dumping.

There are about 440 commercial nuclear power reactors operating in 31 countries supplying 17 per cent of the world’s electricity. 56 countries operate a total of 284 research reactors along the lines of Lucas Heights. 220 reactors power ships and submarines.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. juleen young says

    If these rods can be reprocessed why not?
    But of course we live in a through away world don’t we!
    These radical greens don’t want us to use wood ,coal,gas or what ever to power out power stations are we all going to go back to useing candles?
    The use in medicine alone is enough. There are those of us that are still walking around today because of it.
    I think the people that donate to some of these so called environment groups should open their eyes and have a good look to see where their hard earnt money is being spent.