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Green group warns of Alice radioactive freight threat – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Green group warns of Alice radioactive freight threat

ABC News 11 Nov 08 Anti-nuclear campaigners have warned the Alice Springs Town Council against a plan to increase the amount of radioactive material freighted on the Adelaide to Darwin railway.

The Olympic Dam mine in South Australia has applied to increase the amount of uranium it transports on the line, as well as radioactive copper concentrate.

Dave Sweeney from the Australian Conservation Foundation says the plan would see hundreds of train-loads of radioactive material pass through Alice Springs every year.

He says the risk of a train accident makes the proposal a direct concern for Alice Springs’ municipal authorities.

“Because you can be sure if a train goes off the rails it won’t be bureaucrats in Canberra, and it won’t be Darwin and it won’t certainly be the board of BHP flying in to clean things up,” he said.

“It will be Alice Springs firies. It will be Alice Springs health and hospital workers. It will be Alice Springs coppers.”

Green group warns of Alice radioactive freight threat – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

November 11, 2008 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | Uncategorized