Hunter's Hill Radioactive football: where will it land next? - 18 October 2010

NSW Greens MLC and Chair of the Inquiry into the Former uranium smelter site, Hunter's Hill Ian Cohen is calling on the NSW Government to disclose details of how it classified potentially radioactive waste from Nelson Parade in Hunter's Hill.

"During the Inquiry I asked a Department of Environment representative whether the radioactive material at Hunter's Hill would be diluted with other materials to allow the contaminated soil to be classified as restricted solid waste. The Department indicated that dilution of material would not be an acceptable way of complying with regulatory standards," said Mr Cohen.

"If dilution has not occurred then the potentially radioactive contaminated soil would need to contain less than the prescribed amount 100 becquerels per gram in order to be classified as restricted industrial waste as opposed to radioactive waste."

"In relation to the classification the Committee considered a number of historical reports on contamination levels. While the Committee noted that more recent studies showed soil samples from the site as below the 100 bequerals/gram benchmark, it did acknowledge the potential for some soil excavated from hotspots to exceed the 100 bequerals/gram benchmark requiring classification as hazardous waste."

"If the contaminated soil has been inappropriately classified, then the waste cannot be disposed of at Kemps Creek and the Government will have to look at other disposal options, keeping in mind that the ANSTO Lucas Heights facility is not permitted to store the waste."

"I understand the concern expressed by Liberal candidate for Mulgoa, Tanya Davis and call on her to review the classification material in a bid to drive an informed and reasoned discussion about whether Kemps Creek can take the waste. What more I call on Ms Davis to rally with me against the Liberal Party's unending support for unrestricted uranium mining and development of a domestic nuclear energy sector."

"Generations of pro-nuclear Governments, at both a state and federal level, have dodged this issue. No community right across Australia wants to be the repository of radioactive waste. Kemps Creek residents don't want it and neither do the Aboriginal communities of Muckaty Station. This should be a wakeup call for any political party proposing nuclear energy development."