After Bhopal, Chernobyl and Fukushima, is Gebeng next?
Posted on June 13, 2011
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Redhuan D. Oon
June 13, 2011
Don’t kid ourselves. We won’t be that famous. Our government will shutdown the info-trail. Remember even the ‘jerebu’ (ash in sky from burning in Indonesia) was not allowed to be indexed and reported to give a clean picture to tourists. As long as we do not have a truly free press and cyber laws, we can’t get accountability where it is due.
wandererAUS
June 13, 2011
Perhaps, the people of Malaysia should ask Australia, what have they done after the disaster that was created by the copper mine in PNG. The mine destroyed the environment, nearby rivers were choked with slimy water, human lives and animals were greatly affected. Until today, nothing much was
done! Australia has still to make good the destruction of the habitat and compensated fairly to the ignorant residents living nearby.
Malaysians are aware of the risk having a “time bomb” placed in their backyard but, have the UMNO assholes learned anything?….except, greasing their hands with sinful dollars.
temenggong
June 13, 2011
I need to clarify on Bhopal. Right from the start the company notified the government that this factory would be processing dangerous chemicals and it needs a clear 2 km radius clear of people and animals. The government acceded and provided a piece of land devoid of homes.
But over time squatters started building their homes closer and closer to the factory until it was touching the factory wall. The company warned and complained to the government many, many times, but the government was unwilling to evict the squatters as it would be unpopulist.
There were other breakdowns due to incompetent staff at the factory that compromised safety measures, and the inevitable happened. Third world people have not come to fully appreciate and abide by safety measures.
Now this is the truth, yet the people blame the company and toxic substances, and want to ban everything. Yet Union Carbide at Bhopal supplied raw materials to so many other factories in India and elsewhere, without which so many factories and jobs may not be possible.
There are acceptable foolproof storage methods for radioactive and toxic materials which can prevent leakages until such time the materials are no longer toxic. So all this shrilling is by ignorant people who are guided by unfounded fears.
Remember, we are more exposed to radiation from our handphones than from REE.
Amus
June 13, 2011
“There are acceptable foolproof storage methods for radioactive and toxic materials which can prevent leakages until such time the materials are no longer toxic. So all this shrilling is by ignorant people who are guided by unfounded fears.” – Temenggong
The half-life of these radioactive waste is 14 billion years. How long are you going to keep this for ?
At the “Facts about lynas” facebook group I asked how these waste will be stored. I was duly informed that there will be a thick plastic and underdeath this plastic is an almost impermeable layer of clay. I replied that plastic no matter how thick will decay. In this instance even if it is not exposed to uv the plastic microstructure and fabric will break apart due to alpha, beta and gamma irradiation. Within a short time it will leak the thorium waste. On top of this is the tremendous weight sitting on the plastic sheet. The stress and strain will weaken the plastic even more.
Clay, as anyone will know, will crack up when dry. There goes your impermeability.
Don’t forget that lynas factory sits on top of a swampy piece of land. The ground and ground water movement will certainly have an impact on the storage.
How about the radioactive dust and flue gas filled with sulphur dioxide exiting the factory ? The super slick comm expert replied that the factory will be fitted with radioactive sensors. Radiation is not the problem. That’s a red herring continually being used by lynas and our aelb. The danger is the radioactive dust, gas and waste getting into the food chain.
temenggong
June 14, 2011
As I mentioned in another post, as long as the safety standards are IAEC or Puspati approved on treatment and storage of Hazardous Waste Materials, then that should be alright. These are the professionals on the matter of waste disposal. There are engineering firms that specialise on such work and they should be engaged.
Regarding your specific question of treatment of radioactive waste with a half life of 14 billion years – the general suggested method is subterranean storage (buried in the sea floor), and over time it will sink into the mantle of the earth. But this is not a Lynas problem.
Regarding radioactive dust – the entire factory processing area must be a certified ‘clean room’.
Stop Pretnding
June 13, 2011
Why you care, Haris?
I mean, you and your partner RPK, already got the $$$ from BN, you can go live happy ever after liao.
Do us a favor, Haris, don’t pretend that you care for people of Gebeng.
One brain cell
June 13, 2011
Hey, Stop Pretnding, Are you a cockroach? If so, you’ll possibly be the only type of life force left on the planet once radiation levels reach a certain level, as your kind are impervious to it I believe!
It’s insane to engage in any business which has such high risk waste. Don’t forget the Fukoshima plants were supposed to be totally accident proof. And you can be totally sure that governments lie about nuclear/radio-active accidents. My first encounter was in 1957 in the UK when there was a fire
at Windscale. MacMillan’s government lied through their teeth about the seriousness of that. If you listen to Helen Caldicott (www.helencaldicott.com) the Fukushima plant is a lot worse than we’re being told officially.
One of the great things about humans is our ability to discover and exploit, but we mustn’t get too carried away with ourselves. A mark of true intelligence is when we know not to exploit something we’ve discovered. In my opinion radio-active ores and other substances are a case in point.
The only reason to invite any toxic industry into a country must be based on greed, it certainly isn’t based on sanity or the best interests of the people.
Poco Poco
June 17, 2011
I agree with Pretnding. Some people might think that what was said was a ‘cheap’ shot or hit below the belt. I think of the contrary. As long as Harris is unable to fully explain the ‘Bangkok’ escape or perhaps this time get his buddy RPK to talk, instead of him vouching for him, all that is said here is non consequential.
Plus, I wonder what the other MCLM people, reputable ones like Malik Imtiaz Sarwar has to say about the conduct of the chairperson and president. This, I want to know.
For now, thank you for the Gebeng/Bhopal/Chernobyl analogy, but I think most people in Gebeng are already doing what they can to stop the plant from destroying our land.
Msian
June 13, 2011
Thank you for your concern, but Kuantanites know the consequences and that they and all the kind and concerned people are fighting a losing battle. Things are going to be worse as Lynas has bought a mine in S Africa which contains even more deadly materials, and naturally, they will be processed in Gebeng.
I dread to think how bad the situation will be. A worker at the plant may go out to the shops or stalls, etc, and the dust on his workclothes will just be blown to wherever he goes! Thus, even if a person lives in another part of town, he may inhale the deadly dust. And what about the seafood? A very sad case for a beautiful town. If only more people are aware of the consequences.
shakuntala
June 14, 2011
Mr Temenggong, Mr WandererAus,
You have done some research and your thoughts and words are enlightening, for those of us still in the dark about the consequences of toxic and other harmful wastes that are creating problems for innocent people everywhere..
But you know big timers, like careless governments, mighty corporations and these blasted powerful firms, one called Lynas, have the wherewithal and the audacity to play the fool with ordinary peoples lives….ours and our children’s.
The 12-year tax rebate to operate in Malaysia would have been obtained with huge hand outs. Do you mean to say they will allow that to go to waste or walk away from the gains?
And the BN government which carelessly touts 1 Malaysia cares a hang about it all. We are surrounded by conmen.
We, the people must somehow chase these brutal intruders from our soil.
And if it takes going public to voice our distrust and discontent, we have to and must do it to save precious lives.
Toxic waste is dangerous ………..it is something that is against the natural order, which safeguard is 100 percent safe …..man is unable to handle the inevitable when that happens.
temenggong
June 15, 2011
On a general note to bleeding heart activists who like to quote statistics:
According to a 20 year old report, south east asian peripheral nations dump human waste into the south china sea. Seafood caught in this sea contains human feces that is 220,000 times higher the UN permissible limits.
Think about this the next time you eat fish.
webkinzworld3
June 15, 2011
Oh please! If you care so much about the environment and the effect of the radiation, stop using your electronic devices and energy saving bulbs! FYI, rare earth mineral is the core component of your iPhone, green light bulbs and hybrid car! Do you even do research before writing craps?
Bobby
June 18, 2011
The most perfidious way of harming a cause consists of defending it deliberately with faulty arguments – Friedrich Nietzsche
temenggong
June 19, 2011
We need REE.
Even a simple thing like oxygen for patients in a hospital is not possible without REE for industrial use. Without REE we are back to the stone age, burning coal for energy. The practical solution is everybody mine and process their own REE with the highest safety measures.
Anti nuclear activists do not realise that coal mines cause 800 deaths each year, and similar numbers in oil and gas fired thermal plants. In India alone 300,000 people die EACH YEAR due to coal burning related breathing problems. It is estimated the number is 3 times more in China. More than a million deaths a year worldwide.
Nuclear and solar energy are the cleanest and safest we got. But solar is still not quite there yet in technology for large scale commercial use. To power 3 aircons in a house, we need to cover the entire roof plus 3 times more the roof area with a hundred 5′ * 3′ solar panels! And it does not work on cloudy days.
Solar energy works best in sunny and dry areas like Arizona, New Mexico, etc. Worst in tropical or equatorial areas, as efficiency reduces once the temperature rises above 25 degrees C. (Does it ever drop below 25C in Malaysia?)
Incidentally, no REE, no solar panels and energy.
Phua Kai Lit
June 30, 2011
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/design-problems-hazardous-construction-plague-lynas-plant-reports-nyt/
Enough said !