The Sydney based rare-earths mining company Lynas wants to
build a refinery in Malaysia. Resistance within Malaysia from “Save Malaysia
Stop Lynas” has been strong because of the “low grade radioactive waste that
comes from processing rare-earth elements.”
Rare earths are 17 elements that have strong magnetic and
conductive properties. They are often found in radioactive ores such as
thorium.
Malaysia’s government wants to proceed but the environmental
risks have fueled the resistance.
Some
Malaysian legislators who support Lynas insist that all radioactive waste must
be exported from Malaysia.
What will Lynas do with all that radioactive waste? The Wall
Street Journal explains:
“Lynas says it intends to process the radioactive waste into
other materials, such as road surfacing, diluting it.”
Majia here: The roads where I live are constantly degrading
as heavy rains wash away the asphalt. Walk along the side of any road and see how
much debris is generated from road erosion. Rain water will wash this debris
into streams and lowlands.
The so-called ‘low-level’ waste will eventually end
up in the eco-system and water tables.
Truly, this rush to contaminate the entire environment with
radioactive waste is unbelievable.
SOURCE: Hookway, J. (2013, Feb 19) Minder Hits Mother Lode
of Dissent. The Wall Street Journal, C1, C3.
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