2010 June 12 « nuclear-news

BHP’s (World’s soon to be Biggest) Uranium Mine ‘manipulating’ records

Roxby’s radioactive risk, The Independent Weekly. HENDRIK GOUT04 Jun, 2010 Mining giant BHP Billiton is risking the lives of its staff and employees at Olympic Dam in South Australia by exposing them to unsafe levels of radiation, according to a company whistleblower.Documents received by The Independent Weekly say BHP Billiton has been warned about the risks, and has chosen to take no action. The documents show BHP Billiton uses manipulated averages and distorted sampling to ensure its “official” figures slip under the maximum exposure levels set by government. Continue reading →

June 12, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | AUSTRALIA, secrets,lies and civil liberties | Leave a comment

Spectre of nuclear testing again raised in Nevada

Candidates in Senate race sound off on nuclear testing, ksl.com -May 20th, 2010 By John Hollenhorst SALT LAKE CITY — A surprise issue has emerged in Utah’s U.S. Senate race: testing of nuclear weapons in Nevada. Continue reading →

June 12, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | politics, USA | nuclear weapons | 1 Comment

“Blending” of radioactive wastes will avoid safety requirements

“blending” would allow utilities, processors, and waste disposal sites to avoid existing environmental and safety requirements for how they dispose of the hotter waste……….the new “blended” waste has significantly higher concentrations of radioactivity than the typical lowest level radioactive waste…..

In the past year, state governments have also had to deal with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s reclassification of Depleted Uranium (which becomes more radioactive over time) as Class A waste.

Obama Administration Should Say “No” to Blending Radioactive Waste, THE HUFFINGTON POST, Joseph DiCamillo, 12 June 2010, The Nuclear Regulatory Commission will consider whether to allow for the first time nuclear waste processors to “blend” higher level radioactive waste with the lowest level radioactive waste at a hearing on June 17. Continue reading →

June 12, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | USA, wastes | antinuclear, depleted, nuclear, nuclear secrecy, nuclear spin, nuclear wastes, radiation, radioactive, reactors, uranium | Leave a comment

$600 billion in global subsidies to fossil fuel industries

What will it take to create a level playing? Just how much do governments spend on fossil fuels anyway? Thanks to a new report by IEA, http://www.iea.org/files/energy_subsidies.pdf , we now know the number is $557 billion worldwide as of 2008.

Time to come clean on energy subsidies? Renewable Energy World, Elisa WoodJune 11, 20100 Time to come clean on energy subsidies?What you don’t know will hurt you. That’s the message in Michael Lewis’ new book, “The Big Short,” which traces today’s worldwide economic downturn to a single problem: the secretive nature of prices in the subprime mortgage bond markets.

What’s this got to do with energy? Our industry has its own opaque corners that can cause widespread damage. This week the International Energy Agency (IEA) is attempting to focus light on a big one: energy subsides for fossil fuels. Continue reading →

June 12, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | 2 WORLD, climate change | climate change, energy efficiency, global warming, renewable energy, renewables | Leave a comment

Delhi University compensating victims of ionising radiation

DU hands out compensation to victims of radiation exposure- Hindustan Times, 12 June 2010, Delhi University on Friday handed out compensation of Rs 2 lakh each to victims of radiation exposure who suffered serious health hazards from radioactive waste disposed off by the institution.Several people at Mayapuri’s scrap market were exposed to radiation and were taken ill in April this year.One of them, Rajender (35), a worker at a shop in the scrap market, had died due to multiple organ failure at AIIMS after being exposed to radiation.Relief amount of Rs two lakh was handed over to Ram Jiyavan, Gaurav, Ram Kalap Yadav and Himanshu Jain, the victims who suffered injuries, a statement from the varsity said on Friday……The trail of the radioactive substance led to Delhi University’s Chemistry Department and it was found that the institution had disposed off the radioactive waste that reached the Mayapuri scrap market.

DU hands out compensation to victims of radiation exposure- Hindustan Times

June 12, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | India, Legal | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear wastes, radiation, radioactive | Leave a comment

Need for more safety in use of medical ionising radiation

A number of errors discovered by FDA have involved massive doses of radiation being directed at the wrong parts of the body, and machines being set incorrectly, resulting in overly large radiation doses.

Radiation Exposure Concerns Lead To New Industry Standards – AboutLawsuits.com, 11 June 2010, Radiation therapy equipment manufacturers have launched an initiative to implement new industry-wide safety standards in the face of FDA scrutiny and growing concern over the radiation risks of CT scans and radiation-emitting medical devices… Continue reading →

June 12, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | health, USA | antinuclear, nuclear, radiation, radioactive | Leave a comment

Inaccuracies in measuring medical ionising radiation

Indirect estimated radiation during thoracoabdominal aneurysm repair found inaccurate, CVardiology Today, 11 June 2010, Assessing indirect estimated radiation doses given to patients during endovascular thoracoabdominal aneurysm repair may not be an accurate method of assessing peak skin dose, according to study findings……“Given that JACHO standards are all based on the estimated dose, and the estimated dose for aortic procedures is very inaccurate, peripheral vascular/aortic procedures are not being assessed properly,” Roy Greenberg, MD, a vascular surgeon at the Cleveland Clinic, said in a press release. “We believe these are critical issues with regard to radiation exposure and this will result in problems with hospital documentation and reporting sentinel events.”

Indirect estimated radiation during thoracoabdominal aneurysm repair found inaccurate

June 12, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | 2 WORLD, health | antinuclear, nuclear, radiation, radioactive | Leave a comment

Oli gusher shows renewable energy to be safest

Oil Spill Puts Need for Renewables in Spotlight, Energy Boom By Shannon Roxborough June 11, 2010 The massive Gulf Coast oil spill highlights the importance of cutting the planet’s reliance on conventional energy sources and moving toward renewable energy, say proponents of clean power.”The spill itself tells us in a very clear way that the over dependence on fossil fuels is an issue which we must grapple with as a world and as a nation,” Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said on Tuesday speaking at the Capitol Hill Club to honor Ocean Week. Continue reading →

June 12, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | 2 WORLD, renewable | climate change, energy efficiency, renewable energy, renewables | Leave a comment

Russia financing Ukraine, Kiev planning new nuclear power

Russia lends Ukraine $2bn: what does it want in return? | FT.com, June 11, 2010 by Roman Olearchyk Now that the west seems to fear to tread very far into Ukraine, Russia is more than happy to step into the breach…it seems that the Russian bank has agreed to shore up the public finances for six months. The short-term benefits to Kiev are obvious: but the long-term implications of the dramatic increase in Russian influence that has followed president Viktor Yanukovich’s election have yet to become clear……….Kiev also hopes soon to ink a $4-5bn loan from Russia to finance new nuclear power blocs.

Russia lends Ukraine $2bn: what does it want in return? | beyondbrics | FT.com

June 12, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | politics, Ukraine | antinuclear, enriched, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear secrecy, nuclear spin, nuclear technology, reactors, uranium | Leave a comment