Should Australia accept the nuclear waste of uranium-export countries?

13 Oct 2009
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Workers at a nuclear reactor in Germany. (AAP)

Workers at a nuclear reactor in Germany. (AAP)

Former Foreign Minister Gareth Evans says it's difficult to argue with the principle that uranium producers should be responsible for the ultimate disposal of waste products that flow from them.

As Australia is one of the world's largest suppliers of uranium for nuclear power, should it be obliged to store the radioactive waste from other countries?

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typical selfishness

bill - from brisbane, 12 months ago

Why.. what is so different about uranium? Other ores are exported that are known to have health issues and we are not expected to wear those responsibilities. These countries take the ore knowing the consequences of doing so. Having got their cheap energy, they now want someone else to "wear the downside" of it. Classic case of selfishness, they want their cake and eat it too.

Nuclear waste

Molly - from SA, 2 years ago

I think it is despicable

Principles?

Martin - from Newtown, 2 years ago

Should we really be listening to a man who played down the slaughtering of thousands of East Timorese by Indonesia just so he could stay buddies with the Indonesians?

Nuclear Dumps are Unsustainable

Peter - from Brisbane, 2 years ago

I read a New Scientist article that found microbes live kilometres under the earth in rock and that they will over time decay what ever the nuclear waste is stored in. Spent uranium has a half life of 25 000 years.The article also mentioned that one particular nuclear storage facility in America costs around one million dollars a day to maintain.

No amount of $ will make it OK

Chantelle Prince - from Geraldton, 2 years ago

Nuclear will never be safe. Leave it in the ground.

Storage

Sue - from Mount Gambier, 2 years ago

No, we should not be responsible for the waste from other countries from selling uranium. However, we should consider it from a financial view and only if the traditional owners want to allow storage on their land.

Gareth Evans is wrong

Julie Grace - from Rosebery, 2 years ago

Using Gareth Evan's logic we would all be returning packaging and leftovers from the stores from which we bought them for disposal. There is no way Australia should be responsible for other's waste. When you buy a product you take responsibility for it - we all do this every day of our lives. Obviously it would suit countries who create radioactive waste to dump it on us but there is no way Aussies are going to take responsibility for their waste.

Mr

Rob - from Atherton, 2 years ago

Of course. No country is better placed to help the world develop non-polluting energy. Besides, modern reactors produce much less waste and it is much more short-lived.

Keep it in the Ground

Ray - from tenerife, canary islands, 2 years ago

Fixing the waste problem created by mining this will be resolved easily, the same as before.. The US military industries will buy it from us and make nice new depleted uranium weapons.. Bang Bang....

dumping

ayla - from earth, 3 years ago

Has any Aussie considered the aboriginal people when it comes to dumping waste????? They said long ago, the yellow stuff is poison and leave it in the ground. Wise people indeed! What has (white man) humanity made of it??? Make nuclear bombs! Or nuclear energy that destroys the earth. Aboriginal people aren't stupid. They have their own intelligence. Stop treating them like they are stupid. They are far more connected with mother nature (God) than us white folks.

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