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Nuclear Fuel Summit recycling decisions in the interests of AREVA

Former Australian Foreign Minister Gareth Evans and former U.S. ambassador-at-large Robert Gallucci said that recycling creates stockpiles of dangerous materials at risk for theft

Nuclear-Fuel Recycling Debated , Nuclear Street, by Steve Heiser, 15 April 2010, Bloomberg:  As Obama SummitNations voice differing opinions on the recycling of spent fuel at DC summit – Edited by April Murelio –According to a report by Bloomberg, debate over the recycling of nuclear fuel by reactor suppliers such as France’s Areva SA surfaced in Washington as U.S. officials sought to skirt the issue during President Barack Obama’s summit.

Former Australian Foreign Minister Gareth Evans and former U.S. ambassador-at-large Robert Gallucci called for an end to the fuel-recycling practice this week at a conference of experts being held in parallel with Obama’s Nuclear Security Summit.The summit focused on keeping separated plutonium and highly enriched uranium out of the hands of terrorists, and Evans and Gallucci said that recycling creates stockpiles of dangerous materials at risk for theft. Fuel recycling is drawing attention as the number of nations pursuing nuclear power for their energy needs is expected to double by mid-century, according to the White House.

The position of Evans and Gallucci drew a retort from Areva’s former director of non-proliferation and international institutions, who was attending the summit.

“Recycling in the proper manner in good conditions can be a support to non-proliferation efforts,” Caroline Jorant, who is leaving Areva to become a consultant, told the meeting organized by the Fissile Materials Working Group, which is supporting Obama’s efforts.

Areva is the biggest maker of mixed oxide fuel (MOX), a mixture of plutonium and uranium oxide which can be used to generate power.

The issue was not among those central to the Obama summit, as administration officials seek to forge a consensus among 47 nations on working harder to keep nuclear materials away from terrorists……….

The position of Evans and Gallucci drew a retort from Areva’s former director of non-proliferation and international institutions, who was attending the summit.

“Recycling in the proper manner in good conditions can be a support to non-proliferation efforts,” Caroline Jorant, who is leaving Areva to become a consultant, told the meeting organized by the Fissile Materials Working Group, which is supporting Obama’s efforts.

Areva is the biggest maker of mixed oxide fuel (MOX), a mixture of plutonium and uranium oxide which can be used to generate power.

The issue was not among those central to the Obama summit, as administration officials seek to forge a consensus among 47 nations on working harder to keep nuclear materials away from terrorists. Bloomberg: Nuclear-Fuel Recycling Debated As Obama Summit – Nuclear Power Industry News

April 19, 2010 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | 2 WORLD, politics international, technology | antinuclear, AREVA, EDF, enriched, France, nuclear renaissance, nuclear secrecy, nuclear spin, nuclear wastes, nuclear weapons, plutonium, radioactive, reactors, recycling, reprocessing, uranium