Ukraine Honors the Memory of the Victims of Chernobyl

Ukraine Honors the Memory of the Victims of Chernobyl

Epoch Times By Ekaterina Popova 29 April 09 23 years after the incident with the nuclear plant, the concrete slabs which buried 25 000 Ukrainians are crannied and radiation again threatens lives –

“………………On April 27, 1986, workers in Sweden in the nuclear plant Forsmark—about 680 miles from Chernobyl—were found to have radioactive particles on their clothes. Swedish authorities began investigating the case and established that there was no leakage or emissions from their reactor. Then it became clear that there was a serious problem in the western part of the Soviet Union. At that time, Finland had reported an increase in the level of radiation in the atmosphere.

Soviet authorities and the leaders of most countries in Eastern Europe continued to hide the truth from the public until the situation became out of control………….

……….According to scientific research, Belarus has absorbed 60 percent of the pollution. The radioactive cloud reached Bulgaria on May 1, coinciding with the celebration of Labor Day, with thousands of people out in the open.

Twenty-five thousand Ukrainians, known as “liquidators,” died in the early days while trying to keep the situation under control, trying to construct a concrete slab over the remains of the reactor.

In Ukraine alone, 2.3 million people are officially registered as victims of the tragedy. Immediately after the incident over 4,000 Ukrainians—children and adults—were operated on for cancer of the thyroid gland, the most common consequence of radiation exposure.

The nuclear plant was finally closed in 2000. Until then one of the reactors continued to produce electricity.

The facility continues to be dangerous, as the concrete cover, which was laid over 200 tons of radioactive fuel, has started to crack. To prevent further problems, a steel sarcophagus is planned to be built, which will cover the concrete.

Study examines radiation dose estimates for pregnant women undergoing therapeutic ERCP

Eureka Alert Anne Brownsey 29 April 09 – ” …………………. – Pregnant women with gallstone disease may require immediate endoscopic intervention because of potentially life-threatening cholangitis (infection in the bile ducts) or gallstone pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas).

The radiation exposure in endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), which is used to treat these conditions, is a concern because fetal tissues are more susceptible to radiation injury.

Researchers from Greece found that the radiation risks associated with ERCP procedures are not trivial and that accurate fetal dose estimation is now available regardless of patient body size, operating parameters, equipment used and gestational stage.

The study appears in the April issue of GIE: Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, the monthly peer-reviewed scientific journal of the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE).

Study examines radiation dose estimates for pregnant women undergoing therapeutic ERCP

April 30, 2009 Posted by Christina Macpherson | 2 WORLD, environment | antinuclear, nuclear, radioactive | Leave a comment

Europe’s green energy vision puts UK in dark

Europe’s green energy vision puts UK in dark

TIMESONLINE 29 April 09

It is a dazzling vision of a clean energy future. An entire continent powered by solar panels, wind and wave turbines, geothermal and hydroelectric power stations — and all stitched together by a European “supergrid” stretching from the sunbaked deserts of the south to the windswept North Sea, from the volcanoes of Iceland to the lakes of Finland.

It may sound like the stuff of science fiction but this is a vision that the European Union wants to make a reality. The concept is gaining ground among policymakers, including leaders such as President Sarkozy and Gordon Brown, who are concerned about Europe’s carbon emissions and its steadily growing dependence on Russian gas…………………………………

Ultimately, according to Professor Skea, an international deal at the UN climate talks in Copenhagen in December will be critical to achieving the political momentum required to achieve all of this.

Nevertheless, the BWEA’s Adam Bruce remains upbeat: “It’s certainly a challenge but these problems are not insurmountable. The more renewable energy you create the less it costs. People focus on the upfront capital cost but not the longer-term benefits.”

Europe’s green energy vision puts UK in dark – Times Online

April 30, 2009 Posted by Christina Macpherson | ENERGY, EUROPE | renewableenergy, renewables | Leave a comment

Cabinet to charge for creation and storage of radioactive waste

Cabinet to charge for creation and storage of radioactive waste Kyiv Post 30 April 09 Interfax

-Ukraine National Nuclear Energy Generating Company Energoatom is to pay charges for creating and storing radioactive waste, according to a new cabinet resolution.

The company is obliged to pay UAH 0.0063 per 1 kWh of produced energy plus extra fees depending on the storage costs and the amount of waste material.

The Cabinet of Ministers on April 24 approved the respective resolution, No. 391, which comes into force on May 1 this year.

According to the document, other companies in the sector are to calculate the sum of charges depending on the level of radiation of the materials, and pay 10% of the value of an ionizing irradiation source every month.

The document stipulates that these fees will not be charged if the waste is returned to the company that produced the initial nuclear material abroad.

Kyiv Post. Independence. Community. Trust. » Homepage » Nation » Cabinet to charge for creation and storage of radioactive waste

April 30, 2009 Posted by Christina Macpherson | business and costs, Ukraine | antinuclear, nuclear, radioactive | Leave a comment

Questions with nuclear plant

Questions with nuclear plant

Mountain Home News Diana Hooley April 29, 2009 – “The promoters for the proposed nuclear power plant have used the promise of jobs and money to strike an emotional chord in a down economy.But who are these people really and can they deliver the goods or are they just salesmen preying on people’s needs?……………………..Idaho and Elmore County land is being auctioned off potentially to out of state utility companies for the energy needs of out of state localities like Las Vegas and Los Angeles area.

Why would Elmore County ever be willing to give up control over its land and water to this group of developers? For the promise of jobs — not the assurance — just the promise………………………

With all the excitement about jobs and money, forgotten is the possibility that though the economy will fluctuate and the job market will get better, the nuclear waste will be stored on site in perpetuity.

This toxic waste will be something the children of Elmore County citizens, and their children, will have to live with for a long time.

Storing waste on that piece of property is a terrible risk. The soil and rock are porous and the ground slopes directly to the river. Any leak of toxic materials will run off.

Mountain Home News: Story: Questions with nuclear plant

April 30, 2009 Posted by Christina Macpherson | USA, wastes | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear wastes, radioactive | Leave a comment

Kevin Rudd set to soften stance on energy

Kevin Rudd set to soften stance on energy THE AUSTRALIAN

ENERGY-HUNGRY industries could be offered exemptions from the federal Government’s new 20 per cent renewable energy target, as Kevin Rudd struggles to win support for his climate change policies in the face of the global economic crisis.

The Prime Minister will ask premiers to sign off on the further concessions for the industries at tomorrow’s Council of Australian Governments meeting in Hobart…………………………..

Climate Change Minister Penny Wong said clear domestic laws were crucial to the success of the UN climate change talks in Copenhagen in December to determine a successor agreement to the Kyoto Protocol, which expires in 2012.

Speaking from Washington, where she is attending a meeting of ministers from major emitting nations as part of a process organised by US President Barack Obama to inject momentum into the Copenhagen negotiations, Senator Wong said: “The consistent message has been that international negotiations have to be underpinned by domestic actions.”………………………..

The Australian Conservation Foundation, the ACTU, the Australian Council of Social Service and the Climate Institute think tank wrote to Kevin Rudd last week arguing against any exemptions from the target.

The groups said they could see “no public policy justification for assistance to Australia’s most polluting industries under RET, particularly in the context of the generous, poorly targeted assistance to industry proposed in the CPRS.”

Kevin Rudd set to soften stance on energy | The Australian

April 30, 2009 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

A nuclear weapons free world is now possible

A nuclear weapons free world is now possible On Line Opinion by Bill Williams 28 April 9

Not such a crazy proposition really. The detonation of a small, “primitive” uranium fission weapon, concealed in a shipping container in one of Australia’s harbour cities, for instance, would obliterate the CBD, causing up to a quarter of a million fatalities and an enormous radiotoxic legacy. Meanwhile, the explosion of even a small portion of the currently available 26,500 nuclear weapons would mean global catastrophe.

New evidence from climate and vulcanology specialists suggest a “nuclear winter” could result from the detonation of less than 100 smallish nukes (i.e. Hiroshima-size) on large urban centres. Think Krakatoa meets Hiroshima and multiply accordingly. All this is well within the arsenal capacities of Russia, America, China, Israel, India, Pakistan, France and the UK.

How could such scenarios fade from the public consciousness? And what could an informed, concerned public do about it? There is an urgent need to call for a credible, universal treaty to abolish nuclear weapons.

A draft for such a treaty already exists: the “Model Nuclear Weapons Convention” (NWC) was prepared by an international consortium of legal and technical specialists, and was released and circulated by the United Nations (UN) in 1997. It was revised and published in 2007 as a key project of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear weapons (ICAN). The document, Securing our Survival, lauded by UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon and available at www.icanw.org – sets out in detail the essential steps to abolition…………………..Clearly, we will have to push the politicians if they are to instruct the diplomats to negotiate and implement a convention. Otherwise they’ll muddle on for decades, shuffling up the “incremental steps”, plastering over cracks in the disarmament edifice, wavering in the shadow of annihilation.

A nuclear weapons free world is now possible – On Line Opinion – 28/4/2009

April 30, 2009 Posted by Christina Macpherson | 2 WORLD, weapons and war | antinuclear, nuclear, radioactive | Leave a comment

Green energy a better bet | The Australian

Green energy a better bet THE AUSTRALIAN

Green energy a better bet

Bjorn Lomborg | April 30, 2009

THE financial crisis has given many Australians reason to question the merits and timing of launching an emissions trading scheme to control carbon emissions. The debate is healthy, and hopefully will lead to a broader discussion about smarter ways to respond to this threat.

The Australian Government is to be commended for recognising the threat of climate change. Natural science has undeniably shown us that global warming is man-made and real. But just as undeniable is the economic science, which makes

it clear that a narrow focus on reducing carbon emissions could leave future generations lumbered with major costs, without major cuts in temperatures.

At first glance, an ETS seems like a neat market solution to global warming. In fact, it is worse than a straightforward carbon tax, where the costs are obvious.

With an ETS, the costs – to jobs, household consumption and economic growth – are hidden, and easily lead to lobbying, special favours and heavy rent-seeking.

…………………………Rather than attempting the politically impossible by making fossil fuels so expensive that nobody will use them, we should try to make green energy so cheap everyone will use it……………..For Australia, it would mean an annual outlay of $540 million a year, considerably cheaper than many estimates of the industry damage that the ETS would cause..

“…..very dollar invested in making low-carbon energy cheaper will do $16 worth of “good”……………”

Bjorn Lomborg is the director of the Denmark-based think tank the Copenhagen Consensus Centre, author of The Skeptical Environmentalist and Cool It: The Skeptical Environmentalist’s Guide to Global Warming, and an adjunct professor at Copenhagen Business School.

Green energy a better bet | The Australian