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AREVA’s uranium mining caused radioactivity in Niger city

AREVA confirms Greenpeace’s alarming radiation findings in Niger –  All Africa.com 5 January 2010 Following Greenpeace’s report of radioactive hotspots in the uranium mining city Akokan in Niger, AREVA has confirmed that the radioactivity in the streets of Akokan was unacceptably high. Under pressure from civil society the French nuclear company has taken action to clean up the spots indicated by Greenpeace.
“Areva’s reaction supports our call for a comprehensive, transparent and independent environmental assessment of the area,” said Dr. Rianne Teule of Greenpeace International. “We are glad that the streets of Akokan have been partly cleaned up, but remain very concerned that other problems cannot be ruled out without a comprehensive study. Decades of uranium mining have created radioactive dangers to the people of Akokan, a typical example of environmental and health threats posed by the nuclear industry.”

A Greenpeace team visited AREVA’s two uranium mines in Niger at the beginning of November 2009. (2) During this visit Greenpeace identified dangerous levels of radiation in the streets of Akokan, at one location up to 500 times higher than the normal background levels.(3) AREVA had earlier declared the streets safe. A comprehensive report on Greenpeace’s findings will be published in early 2010.

allAfrica.com: Niger: AREVA confirms Greenpeace’s alarming radiation findings in Niger – Greenpeace response

January 6, 2010 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | environment, Niger | antinuclear, AREVA, nuclear, nuclear secrecy, nuclear wastes, radioactive