NO to Nuclear Waste stored at Lucas Heights

Please download and read our pamphlet, and send it to your family and friends - http://bit.ly/LpxQpw

In the 1990’s, the nuclear waste from Lucas Heights was sent to France for re-processing. Under contracts signed by the Australian Government in the 90’s, Australia is obliged to take back its waste, from France and the UK by the end of 2015. Approximately 13.2 cubic metres of intermediate nuclear waste will be stored in a $30 million purpose-built facility at Lucas Heights for a maximum of 5 years.

This decision of such importance has managed to fall under the radar and as far away from the public eye as possible.

According to David Sweeny of The Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF), “just
because the waste has been reprocessed, doesn’t mean it is safe.” He is quoted as saying that it is “a contaminated cocktail of various radioactive elements and isotopes and some of these last for many thousands of years and pose a very significant radiology hazard and human health hazard.”

Sydney residents do not feel safe with this radioactive waste being stored within close proximity to their homes. It appears to be a possible terrorist target or a national disaster waiting to happen.

Local residents are unaware as to what was planned for Lucas Heights and the majority have no idea what is going on. Once informed there response is "how do we go about stopping this and what can I do to help". This does not appear to be a well informed community in favor of Lucas Heights being used as a nuclear waste storage facility.

Another issue is how temporary is temporary? The Federal Government has had 30 years to decide where to store this radioactive waste and to date the best
they can come up with is a five year plan for it to be stored at Lucas Heights. ANSTO insists that the facility will only provide “interim” storage for the waste however this is extremely debatable.

It appears that the Federal Government is applying a quick fix solution to an extremely important national issue. To date they have been unable to establish the
location of where the National Radioactive Waste Management Facility will be, so who’s to say they will in 7 years time.

Why put it in a densely populated area like Lucas Heights which is within a 30 km radius of Sydney’s CBD, just because it is the easiest and cheapest solution for the interim. Why aren’t the Government seeking a viable long term solution now, they still have until the end of 2015. Australia is one of the world’s most geologically stable continents with many sparsely populated locations that would be perfect sites for the storage of radioactive waste.

The Australian Government has a responsibility to the next generation to find a viable solution now.