nuclear-news

The most important thing to retain from the recent three country study of nuclear workers is that it supports the no safe dose-linear no threshold model (LNT) for ionizing radiation. Increased radiation exposure is increased risk. It shows association between protracted very low dose exposure to ionising radiation and cancer. Although high dose rate exposures were presumed by many “to be more dangerous than low dose rate exposures, the risk per unit of radiation dose for cancer among radiation workers was similar to estimates derived from studies of Japanese atomic bomb survivors.” (Richardson et. al., BMJ, Oct 2015).

The radiation exposures over an entire career, in this INWORKS study, are generally very low cumulative doses, even compared to what is considered “acceptable” radiation exposures for the general public from nuclear facilities and nuclear waste. However, the researchers appear to false the results by choosing to use the arithmetic…

Opinion:

¶ Government U-turn on renewables shows gas, oil and nuclear are still favorites. • Costs have fallen; the latest ground-mounted solar and onshore wind are cheaper than new nuclear, and offshore wind is not far behind, but despite this the government favors nuclear and oil. [The Guardian]

The sun sets at Hinkley Point nuclear power station. Photograph: iVistaphotography / Barcroft

Science and Technology:

¶ With the big animals gone forever, climate change could get worse, according to a study. University of East Anglia research says a decline in fruit-eating animals such as large primates, tapirs and toucans could have a knock-on effect for tree species because they disperse seeds. [Financial Express]

World:

¶ A wind farm in Dumfries and Galloway, sufficient to power more than 37,000 homes, has secured almost £83 million in financing. The UK Green Investment Bank, which is headquartered in Edinburgh, is…

Royal Commission vs Community Permission:Environment groups assess performance of SA nuclear Royal Commission 

National and state environment groups have today released an assessment of the state Royal Commission into the nuclear industry in SA. The report – commissioned by Conservation SA, the Australian Conservation Foundation and Friends of the Earth Australia – looks at the Commission’s progress since its surprise unveiling by Premier Jay Weatherill ten months ago.

The report raises serious concerns about the Royal Commission, from the unrepresentative and unbalanced composition of the Expert Advisory Committee, conflicts of interest, the Royal Commission’s unwillingness to correct factual errors, to a repeated pattern of pro-nuclear claims being uncritically accepted and promoted.

“The nuclear industry embodies unique, complex and long lasting safety, security, environmental and public health challenges,” said Conservation SA Chief Executive Craig Wilkins. “The sector lacks a secure social license and it is imperative that any consideration of an…

Science and Technology:

¶ The United States and Europe are among the world’s largest emitters of nitrogen dioxide, but both have also shown the most dramatic reductions in these emissions between 2005 and 2014, according to new global NASA satellite maps. Nitrogen dioxide is a major respiratory pollutant in urban smog. [CNN]

This map shows the average concentration of nitrogen dioxide in the lowest parts of the atmosphere in 2014. NASA image.

World:

¶ Australian households and businesses added another 60 MW of rooftop solar in November, taking the overall figure for the year to date to 654 MW. Businesses added 143 MW of rooftop solar capacity. About 510 MW of rooftop solar capacity has been added at households in the year to date. [CleanTechnica]

¶ Cars were forced off the road and factories closed in Beijing on Saturday after the city was again blanketed by…