Nuclear Waste

Price Tag For Cleaning Nuclear Waste At Hanford Site Up Another $4.5 Billion

January 7, 2017 Ralph Vartabedian, www.latimes.com Educate! Nuclear Waste

By Ralph Vartabedian for Los Angeles Times - The U.S. Energy Department said Friday that its long-troubled attempt to build a plant to process highly radioactive sludge at a former nuclear weapons site in central Washington state will cost an additional $4.5 billion, raising the project’s price tag to $16.8 billion. The Hanford treatment plant, a small industrial city with some two dozen facilities on a desert plateau along the Columbia River, is more than a decade behind schedule and will cost nearly four times the original estimate made in 2000. The government aims to transform 56 million gallons of deadly sludge stored in leaky underground tanks into solid glass, which theoretically could then be stored safely for thousands of years.

Nuclear Accident In New Mexico Ranks Among Costliest In US History

August 24, 2016 Ralph Vartabedian, www.readersupportednews.org Educate! New Mexico, Nuclear Waste

By Ralph Vartabedian for Los Angeles Times - When a drum containing radioactive waste blew up in an underground nuclear dump in New Mexico two years ago, the Energy Department rushed to quell concerns in the Carlsbad desert community and quickly reported progress on resuming operations. The early federal statements gave no hint that the blast had caused massive long-term damage to the dump, a facility crucial to the nuclear weapons cleanup program that spans the nation, or that it would jeopardize the Energy Department’s credibility in dealing with the tricky problem of radioactive waste.

3 Ex-TEPCO Execs Indicted Over Fukushima Nuclear Disaster

March 1, 2016 Staff, www.japantoday.com Resist! Fukushima, Nuclear Waste

By Staff of Japan Today - TOKYO — Three former executives of Tokyo Electric Power Co (TEPCO) were indicted Monday for allegedly failing to take measures to prevent the disaster at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear complex, which was struck by massive tsunami waves five years ago. The indictment, mandated by an independent panel of citizens after prosecutors decided against laying charges, seeks to answer in court the question of whether the key TEPCO figures should be held criminally responsible over the nuclear disaster.

Stopping Yucca Mountain From Being Nuclear Waste Dump

February 19, 2016 Derrick Broze, www.mintpressnews.com Educate! Environment, Nevada, Nuclear Waste

By Derrick Broze for Mint Press News - NYE COUNTY, Nevada — From 1951 to 1992, the U.S. government used a 1,300-square mile patch of land known as the Nevada Test Site for atmospheric and underground nuclear weapons testing. Many people have seen images from the site, though they probably don’t even realize it: 928 American and 19 British nuclear tests were conducted there, and it’s the place where the infamous mushroom cloud images were taken. Today, tourists can take a trip back in time to the Cold War with a visit to the National Atomic Testing Museum.

Stop Radioactive Contamination Of The Great Lakes

January 19, 2016 Beyond Nuclear, www.stopthegreatlakesnucleardump.com Petitions and Online Actions Environment, Nuclear Power, Nuclear Waste, Water, Water Pollution

By Beyond Nuclear for Stop the Great Lakes Nuclear Dump. Ontario, Canada - Ontario Power Generation plans to bury and abandon radioactive nuclear waste 400 metres below the bottom level of Lake Huron. Scientists cannot guarantee tat this nuclear waste dump will not leak. The Great Lakes provide fresh drinking water for 40 million people in two countries. Why would we bury radioactive nuclear waste beside this precious resource? Ontario Power Generation, the applicant, states this underground dump "is not likely to result in any significant residual adverse effects to human health or the environment, including Lake Huron and the Great Lakes." Is "not likely" good enough?

Fukushima Report Declassified: Worse Than We Were Told

December 14, 2015 Staff, www.rt.com Educate! Fukushima, Nuclear Waste

By Staff of RT - Fukushima nuclear power plant is still experiencing major contamination issues nearly five years after the earthquake, tsunami, and subsequent meltdown. A new declassified report from the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission, written on March 18, 2011 just days after the disaster, sheds light on just how bad it was. We now know that "100% of the total spent fuel was released to the atmosphere from unit 4."

Stop Fukushima Freeways

October 27, 2015 Staff, www.nirs.org Resist! Environment, health, Nuclear Energy, Nuclear Waste

By Nuclear Information and Resource Service. The Stop Fukushima Freeways Campaign shows the perils of the massive and unnecessary radioactive waste transportation that would occur across the U.S. if the moribund and scientifically-indefensible Yucca Mountain, Nevada waste dump were to be revived. Such large-scale transport would also occur if, as some in Congress advocate, a "centralized interim storage" site for high-level radioactive waste were created. In that case, the waste would either have to move twice (once to the interim site, and then to a permanent site), thus doubling the risks, or the "interim" site would become a de facto permanent waste dump--without going through the necessary scientific characterization. The solution to the radioactive waste problem begins with ending its generation as quickly as possible.

Radiation Detected In Groundwater At Peach Bottom Nuclear Plant

June 22, 2015 Brett Sholtis, www.ydr.com Educate! Environment, Nuclear Waste, Water

By Brett Sholtis in YDR - Radiation at levels above industry safety thresholds was detected in groundwater at Peach Bottom Atomic Power Station, according to an Exelon report to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Exelon, the company that owns and operates the power plant, reported that on April 17, a groundwater monitoring well detected tritium — a radioactive isotope — at 37,700 picocuries per liter. Neil Sheehan, Nuclear Regulatory Commission spokesman, said Exelon has to report any level of tritium in excess of 20,000 picocuries per liter, the EPA-endorsed threshold for safe levels in drinking water. Sheehan said the tritium posed no public health or environmental concern. "It is possible that the water could eventually migrate into the plant's outlet canal, and from there it could make its way into the river," Sheehan said in an interview.

Kincardine Nuclear Waste Site Gets Federal Seal Of Approval

May 10, 2015 John Spears Business and Lauren Pelley, www.thestar.com Educate! Canada, Nuclear Energy, Nuclear Waste

Tabuns wasn’t surprised that the report was favourable towards the project. “I just haven’t found that the regulators have been sufficiently critical or skeptical in their thinking when dealing with these proposals,” he said. “With the Harper government, you can’t expect safety and the environment to be the first things on their minds.” Kincardine Mayor Anne Eadie said the project has always had the consistent support of her municipality. “What I’ve been saying all along is we need the experts to decide, and they have put forward their recommendation,” she said. “I want to stress that it was an objective assessment. The Joint Review Panel even opened up another session for public input last fall, just to make sure that everything was covered off … I feel it’s been quite an extensive investigation in many different areas, not just the geology of the site.”

Drone Video – Nuclear Waste in Bags Near Ocean

April 19, 2015 Ruptly, www.youtube.com Educate! Fukushima, Nuclear Power, Nuclear Waste

Ruptly reports: "Millions of tons of radioactive soil and debris can be seen packed in black bags in a temporary storage site at Tomioka, Fukushima prefecture." The drone video taken by Ruptly shows how the Fukushima nuclear accident continues to be a major health and environmental catastrophe. Unbelievably, TEPCO, the corporation responsible for the nuclear plant at Fukushima, is storing some of the most dangerous waste on earth in plastic bags near the ocean. Once again TEPCO is showing irresponsible behavior in how they are handling the results of the nuclear accident that occurred on March 11, 2011 and resulting in a nuclear meltdown of the plant's six nuclear reactors.

Fukushima Crisis Continues, Was Worse Than First Reported

September 3, 2014 William Boardman, www.readersupportednews.org Educate! Fukushima, Japan, Nuclear Waste

obody in the world knows how to dispose of radioactive waste safely and permanently. That's a given. The Japanese central government is presumably aware that anything it does with still the unmeasured but vast amount of radioactive waste from Fukushima's six nuclear power generators will be temporary. Leaving it in place is not an option. So Tokyo announced on August 29 that the Fukushima waste would be stored for 30 years in Fukushima prefect, in an "interim facility" to be built probably in nearby Okuma or Futaba (now evacuated). "We've screened and confirmed safety and regional promotion measures as offered by the state," Fukushima prefect governor Yuhei Sato said when announcing the decision. The temporary plan was proposed by the environment minister in late 2013, an offer few thought the Fukushima officials could refuse. The negotiated terms of the plan include a government lease of about 4,000 acres (16 square km) from some 2,000 landowners around the Fukushima site. No leases have yet been signed. The terms also include government subsidies to the prefect of $2.9 billion (301 billion yen) over thirty years, as well as a personal visit with Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe in Tokyo for Governor Yuhei.

Australia Wants To Dump Nuclear Waste On Indigenous Land

August 25, 2014 Oliver Milman, www.theguardian.com Organize! Australia, Indigenous Rights, Land, Nuclear Waste

Australia could end the disadvantage endured by its Indigenous population by opening up traditional lands as dumping sites for nuclear waste from around the world, a former prime minister, Bob Hawke, has said. Hawke said he was confident that the answer to long-standing indigenous socioeconomic problems was to allow radioactive waste to be stored on Aboriginal land, and use the revenue to improve living standards. Speaking at the Indigenous Garma festival in the Northern Territory, Hawke said he had met Adam Giles, the territory’s chief minister, to discuss the idea and had got a favourable response. “We need to do something substantial to finally eliminate these disgraceful gaps in well-being and lifetime opportunities,” Hawke said. “I have no hesitation whatsoever in putting the situation in very specific terms because I believe I have the answer. “I’ve discussed this proposal with Adam Giles, who tells me he’s been approached by a number of elders who, like himself, are keenly supportive of the proposal.” Despite having some of the largest deposits of uranium in the world, Australia has maintained a long-standing opposition to nuclear power and storing radioactive waste from overseas.

First Nations Will Block Nuclear Dump

August 7, 2014 Thomas Walkom, www.thestar.com Educate! Corporatism, Environment, First Nations, Nuclear Waste

Ontario’s plan to bury nuclear waste beside Lake Huron is running into heavy weather. Ontario Power Generation, the Crown corporation behind the proposed dump site for low and intermediate level radioactive waste has publicly acknowledged that its long-term safety plans are based, in part, on new technologies that have not yet been invented. As the Star’s John Spears reported this week, that explanation hasn’t endeared itself to the small but politically important aboriginal communities near the proposed Kincardine dump site. In a brief to the federal review panel that will eventually rule on the plan, the Saugeen Ojibway Nation reminds OPG of its assurance that no nuclear waste dump will be built without aboriginal consent. Will that consent be given? The First Nation doesn’t say. But in its brief, it does express profound unease with what it calls OPG’s vague and open-ended scheme. Plans for this so-called deep geological repository at Kincardine have been in the works since 2005. Initially, the proposed dump was supposed to house waste such as the rubber gloves used by nuclear workers — items with relatively low levels of radioactivity.

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