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Lynas Waste Site – Need For Transparency And Public Consultation Before Any Approvals Given

  • Publication Date | February 3, 2020
  • Document Type | Media Statement
  • Programmes | Development & Planning
  • Issues | Mining & Extractives, Pollution, Toxics, Waste
  • Tags | AELB, Asian Rare Earth, Bukit Ketam, Cracking and Leaching Facility, Lynas, Permanent Disposal Facility
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Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) calls on the Federal government and its relevant agencies to ensure that there is complete transparency and public feedback and consultations before approving any permanent disposal facility (PDF) of Lynas Corporation for its water leach purification residue (WLP) which contains radioactive wastes.

SAM was alarmed to learn of Lynas’ recent announcement that the Pahang state government has given consent to the company to build the PDF site in Bukit Ketam.

However, according to today’s media reports (New Straits Times, Feb 3) it is the Atomic Energy Licensing Board (AELB) that will decide and no decision has been made yet.

SAM would like to stress that according to the laws, the PDF will definitely require approvals from both the Department of Environment (DOE) as well as the AELB, and will require a Detailed Environmental Impact Assessment (DEIA) under the Environmental Quality Act 1974 as well as a Radiological Impact Assessment (RIA) under the Atomic Energy Licensing Act 1984.  

Hence, it is not only the AELB that has to approve, it is also the DOE which must give its approval, given that there has to be an environmental assessment as well as a radiological impact assessment of the facility.

The DEIA and the RIA reports must go hand in hand and must be done properly, with the full public participation, consultation and feedback prior to any approvals being given either by the DOE or the AELB.

Complete transparency in the process must be ensured, especially since the Lynas operations have been highly controversial, generating much public outcry.

These governments agencies must not be under any pressure to approve the PDF in haste and must ensure that all public health and safety as well as environmental considerations are properly evaluated and assessed, with no compromises especially when the WLP wastes will remain radioactive and hazardous for generations to come.

The Lynas operations presently already involves hundreds of thousands of tonnes of radioactive wastes, which have been accumulated over the years, and which will continue to accumulate until it comes up with a plan to build a cracking and leaching facility (CLF) in Australia, away from its plant in Gebeng, Kuantan.  This facility abroad will only become operational only within four years from the effective licensing date.

The federal government has given Lynas four years to make the CLF abroad operational and this effectively means that the company will be allowed to generate another four years of radioactive wastes until the operations shift to Australia.

In effect, this means that at least close to 1 million tonnes of radioactive wastes will have to be managed for decades if not centuries to come, as the thorium and uranium in the wastes have very long half-lives going into millions and billions of years.

With this huge amount of wastes and with very long-term impacts, there will be large costs of maintaining such a disposal facility.  

According to media reports, Lynas is said it have appointed a local company Gading Senggara Sdn Bhd to manage the PDF for US$98 million (RM400 million).

It is unclear if this also includes the cost of acquiring, preparing and building the PDF or if it is for the maintenance of the site for decades to come.

This amount appears to be rather insufficient for the maintenance of a PDF which is supposed to deal with at least 1 million tonnes of radioactive wastes for decades to come.

As a comparison, in the case of the Asian Rare Earth wastes, news reports have revealed that Mitsubishi Chemicals of Japan spent US$100 million just to clean up the site of the ARE plant.

Another serious issue of concern relates to the expertise of the local company named by Lynas in undertaking the management of the radioactive material. The capabilities and expertise of this company has to be made transparent because what is being managed is no ordinary waste but one which will remain dangerous for generations to come.  

SAM once again reiterates our call that Lynas should not be granted further extensions of its licence to operate pending a proper resolution of the handling of its wastes permanently.   

Meenakshi Raman

President

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Testimonials

Sahabat Alam Malaysia adalah satu badan bukan kerajaan (NGO) yang telah sekian lama berjuang mempertahan kelestarian alam. Ia juga mendidik masyarakat tentang pentingnya kebersamaan dalam pemikiran dan tindakan agar alam ini dapat kita wariskan kepada generasi hadapan dalam keadaan yang elok dan terpelihara. Dalam pada itu juga SAM giat membantu golongan nelayan pantai dalam memperjuangkan hak-hak mereka sehinggalah tertubuhnya Persatuan Pendidikan dan Kebajikan Nelayan Pantai Malaysia (JARING). Nelayan pantai sepenuh masa ini dididik oleh SAM sehingga mereka mampu memainkan peranan sebagai pemimpin nelayan yang meneruskan kesinambungan memperjuangkan hak-hak nelayan pantai lainnya. Sebagai contoh SAM telah berjaya menyedarkan masyarakat nelayan keperluan menjaga hutan paya bakau untuk kebaikan hasil tangkapan nelayan itu sendiri.
Jamaluddin Mohamad Bualik
Jamaluddin Mohamad BualikPersatuan Pendidikan dan Kebajikan Jaringan Nelayan Pantai Malaysia (JARING)
During the 1980s, I used to read about the Consumers’ Association of Penang (CAP) in the news. After retirement, some time in 2001, while lazing around, I read news about the construction of a carbon in leach plant using sodium cyanide to extract gold in Bukit Koman. My friends and I visited CAP and we were introduced to SAM and her legal team. We discussed the details of filing a case against the gold mining company and the department of environment with Ms Meenakshi Raman and her legal team. That was the beginning of a beautiful friendship between lawyers from SAM and many of us from Bukit Koman. We had many ups and downs in our struggle to shut down the gold mine that was causing a nuisance in our village. But, as a community we never gave up because SAM had our backs.
Hue Fui How
Hue Fui HowSecretary, Bukit Koman Ban Cyanide in Goldmining Action Committee (BCAC)
Sahabat Alam Malaysia adalah sebuah NGO yang memperjuangkan nasib masyarakat luar bandar khasnya. SAM menerima aduan-aduan masyarakat dan menyelesaikan masalah yang dihadapi. SAM telah mewujudkan ramai aktivis-aktivis sosial dan alam sekitar. Pada era 1980 dan 90an SAM sangat dihormati oleh masyarakat dan agensi kerajaan. Apabila media sosial menguasai maklumat maka SAM pun terkesan dan masalah masyarakat terus disalurkan dengan pelbagai cara. SAM perlu mewujudkan aktivis-aktivis pelapis yang muda untuk terus membantu masyarakat. SAM juga perlu membuat perubahan supaya banyak turun kelapangan dan jangan mengharapkan laporan media sahaja. Tingkatkan prestasi sebagaimana pada zaman kegemilangan SAM di era 80-90an.
Che Ani Mt Zain
Che Ani Mt Zain
SAM taught me the importance of social activism and the role it plays in upholding the rights of people and the protection of the environment. In my experience, SAM has never hesitated to speak up in defence of people and their environment, and has gone the extra mile to champion their rights, by helping communities take their battles to the higher ups and even to the courts.
Jessica Binwani
Jessica BinwaniPublic/Private Interest Lawyer
Semenjak kami kenal SAM, banyak pengalaman dan pengetahuan yg kami dapat. Kami telah belajar cara membuat baja asli daripada SAM. Semenjak itu, bermulalah minat kami dalam aktiviti pertanian. Dengan memperolehi kemahiran dalam membuat baja asli dan penanaman lestari, kami juga telah dapat menambahkan pendapatan sampingan kami. Ini lebih baik daripada tanah kami terbiar dan tidak diusahakan. Terima kasih SAM kerana sudi memberi bantuan dan tunjuk ajar kepada Persatuan kami.
Chedo Anak Nyuwen
Chedo Anak NyuwenPersatuan Penduduk Sg Buri, Bakong, Marudi
My journey with SAM started when her community organisers took me to the meet the paddy farmers of Kedah, connecting my growing interest in environmental law with our people who struggle to work the land in the face of pollution, replacement of traditional seeds with commercial hybrids and their accompanying chemical package of fertilisers and weedicides. I then had the honour to work with SAM in the struggle for the rights of the native communities of Sarawak, in defence of their forests from massive logging and destructive mega-projects. In every issue that SAM takes up, she combines rigorous research with the realities and voices of the communities to advocate for policies and laws that care for people and nature. From the courts to the elected legislators to policy makers and implementers and to the United Nations, SAM walks side by side with the communities in Malaysia. How can I not be inspired by the vision and passion of the generations of women and men who coalesce to form SAM?
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Sahabat Alam Malaysia (Headquarters)
No. 1, Jalan Joki, 11400 Penang,
Malaysia
Tel: +604 827 6930
Fax: +604 827 6932

Sahabat Alam Malaysia (Marudi Office)
129A, First Floor,
Jalan Tuanku Taha,
P.O.Box 216,
98058 Marudi, Baram, Sarawak,
Malaysia
Tel & Fax: +6085 758 973

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