Friday, 20 April, 2007

Arid Lands Environment Centre

As the OPAL nuclear reactor at Lucas Heights near Sydney is commissioned today to begin operation, the contentious and unresolved issue of radioactive waste management remains prominent in the minds of Territorians.

Natalie Wasley, Beyond Nuclear Initiative campaigner at the Arid Lands Environment Centre (Alice Springs) said that while spent fuel produced at Lucas Heights is 1% of the volume of fuel currently earmarked for the NT dump, it contains over 99% of the radioactivity.

"The HIFAR reactor operated for 50 years but its radioactive legacy will remain for far longer. The commissioning of OPAL means thousands more years of waste for our future generations to manage", Ms Wasley stated.

"There has been no nuclear reactor on line in Australia since late January, which shows we do not need a reactor here- we are able to reliably source medical isotopes from overseas and alternative sources like cyclotrons."

"John Howard’s aggressively pro-nuclear positioning is once again seeing community opinion cut out of decisions regarding waste management. Territorians do not want to host a Federal dump that will surely impact upon the NT’s clean, green image and the tourism and pastoral industries."

"The Government should seriously consider community concerns about increasing involvement in the nuclear industry, such as by commissioning OPAL, when the issue of waste continues to be unresolved."

"The Government must commit to waste minimisation and commit to a management plan for existing radioactive materials that is long term, environmentally sound and socially just."

"It cannot be considered best practice to transport radioactive spent fuel rods from Lucas Heights thousands of kilometres through numerous communities to be dumped in the desert with a few security guards on rotation." Ms Wasley concluded.