nuclear wastes « nuclear-news

Russian protests against Areva and Urenco’s nuclear waste dumping

Areva and its counterpart Urenco, headquartered in Britain, have sent close to 140,000 tonnes of nuclear waste to Russia in the past 15 years.

DEPLETED URANIUM IN RUSSIA Protests as French uranium arrives in Russia Javno 2 Feb 2010 A cargo loaded with depleted uranium from France docked in Saint Petersburg, as Russian activists protested at the nuclear waste exports. Continue reading →

February 2, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | politics international, Russia | antinuclear, AREVA, cancer, depleted, France, nuclear, nuclear secrecy, nuclear spin, nuclear wastes, radiation, radioactive, uranium | 2 Comments

Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant is a political issue

If you thought Vermont Yankee was a big election issue before, it just became even more so

Nuclear politics VY vote this year? Maybe, Burlington Free Press 1 Feb 2010 Once upon a time, the Legislature was balking at voting on Vermont Yankee’s future and the governor who was pushing for a vote. Now that tritium is leaking into groundwater at the plant from pipes that company officials said didn’t exist, things appear different. Continue reading →

February 2, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | politics, USA | antinuclear, cancer, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear secrecy, nuclear spin, nuclear wastes, radioactive | Leave a comment

How many nuclear power plants are leaking radioactive tritium?

Many radiological health scientists agree with the Environmental Protection Agency that tritium, like other radioactive isotopes, can cause cancer………..

Vt nuke plant leaks renew debate over aging plants, Business Week, The Associated Press, February 1, 2010, By DAVE GRAM

Radioactive tritium, a carcinogen discovered in potentially dangerous levels in groundwater at the Vermont Yankee nuclear plant, has now tainted at least 27 of the nation’s 104 nuclear reactors — raising concerns about how it is escaping from the aging nuclear plants. Continue reading →

February 2, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | environment, USA | antinuclear, cancer, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear secrecy, nuclear wastes, radioactive | Leave a comment

Uranium wastewater spill at South Carolina nuclear plant

Federal regulators investigating SC uranium spill The Sun News The Associated Press 1 Feb 2010

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Federal regulators are at a South Carolina nuclear fuel plant investigating a spill of wastewater containing uranium.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission said Monday a team had arrived at the Westinghouse Electric Co. plant near Columbia.

The NRC says about 200 gallons of wastewater containing ammonia and uranium spilled Jan. 24 after a pump failed.

February 2, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | safety, USA | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear wastes, radiation, radioactive, uranium | Leave a comment

Judge rules that utility can withdraw from crumbling nuclear power project

San Antonio utility wins nuclear ruling By TRACY IDELL HAMILTON San Antonio Express-NewsJan. 30, 2010, SAN ANTONIO — In a victory for CPS Energy, District Court Judge Larry Noll’s ruling Friday clears the way for the city-owned utility to withdraw from the proposed expansion of the South Texas Project nuclear plant without fear of losing its entire investment…………. Continue reading →

February 1, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | Legal, USA | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear secrecy, nuclear wastes | Leave a comment

Some Obama supporters unhappy about tripling of Nuclear Loan Guarantees

the administration’s efforts also could alienate the environmental wing of its base.

Obama To Propose Tripling Of Nuclear Loan Guarantees THE WALL STREET JOURNAL By Siobhan Hughes,; Stephen Power of The Wall Street Journal and Christine Buurma of Dow Jones Newswires contributed to this article.) * JANUARY 29, 2010 Continue reading →

February 1, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | politics, USA | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear wastes | Leave a comment

Time to shut down Vermont Yankee nuclear reactor

Former Yankee co-owner says shut it down: Times Argus Online By DANIEL BARLOW VERMONT PRESS BUREAU January 29, 2010 MONTPELIER – One of the former co-owners of the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant called on lawmakers Thursday to vote this year against continued operation of the troubled Vernon reactor beyond 2012. Continue reading →

January 30, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | business and costs, USA | antinuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear secrecy, nuclear wastes | Leave a comment

Obama understands that nuclear power is neither safe nor clean

Indeed, Obama knows better. Candidate Obama understood that nuclear power is neither safe nor clean. Watch this video taken early in his presidential campaign,

Nuclear Information and Resource Service Michael Mariotte 28 Jan 2010 If you were watching last night’s State of the Union address, I’m sure you were as appalled as I was when President Obama suddenly spoke in support of “safe, clean nuclear power” (not to mention support for offshore oil drilling and “clean” coal).

Politically, Obama likely was simply parroting the effort being led by Sens. John Kerry, Joe Lieberman and Lindsay Graham to gain support for a climate bill by adding massive subsidies for nuclear power, offshore oil and “clean” coal. But recycling George W. Bush energy talking points is no way to solve the climate crisis or develop a sustainable energy policy.

Indeed, Obama knows better. Candidate Obama understood that nuclear power is neither safe nor clean. Watch this video taken early in his presidential campaign, in which he expresses concern for his daughters growing up in Chicago and surrounded by nuclear reactors. He says he is not a nuclear proponent and speaks out directly against taxpayer subsidies for nuclear power…www.nirs.org

January 29, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | politics, USA | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear secrecy, nuclear spin, nuclear wastes, nuclear weapons, radiation, radioactive, reactor | Leave a comment

Obama panders to nuclear lobby, loses credibility with his supporters

Demoralizing his Supporters, Obama calls Nukes, Coal and Oil Drilling “Clean Energy Jobs” Think Progress, by Brad Johnson 9 Jan 2010 President Barack Obama’s discussion of energy policy in his first State of the Union address pandered to corporate interests while demoralizing his progressive supporters. Though Obama made a strong case that real investments in clean energy such as solar technology, advanced batteries, high-speed rail and efficiency are critical to job creation and international competitiveness, he also offered sops to established corporate polluters.

Republicans, who spent much of the address refusing to applaud Obama’s call for economic reforms, ecstatically applauded his praise of polluting industry. Embracing the language of the John McCain campaign, Obama described nuclear power, offshore oil and gas drilling, and coal as “clean energy jobs”: – (” a new generation of safe, clean nuclear power plants in this country”)………Obama’s actual supporters were dismayed. Continue reading →

January 29, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | climate change, politics, USA | antinuclear, energy efficiency, nuclear, nuclear wastes, reactors, renewable energy, renewables | Leave a comment

AREVA and INB’s false claims on radioactive drinking water wells

Why do nuclear companies always start by denying there is a problem, when there is a problem, only admitting it when there is a lot of pressure hoping the issue is already forgotten? For years AREVA denied the problems in Niger and now in Brazil! With such track record do they really expect us to believe anything they say?

Hot’ drinking water near uranium mine in Brazil Continue reading →

January 29, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | environment, SOUTH AMERICA | antinuclear, AREVA, France, nuclear, nuclear secrecy, nuclear spin, nuclear wastes, radiation, radioactive | Leave a comment

Vermont nuclear reactor’s future? Legislators unhappy about radiation leaks

Radiation Levels Cloud Vermont reactor’s Fate The New York Times January 27, 2010 By MATTHEW L. WALD

Levels of radioactive tritium have risen rapidly in recent weeks in the groundwater surrounding Vermont’s sole nuclear power plant, leading both longtime supporters and foes of the reactor to question whether it will be allowed to keep operating…….the rising radiation levels, an indication that reactor water is leaking into the soil, have stirred deep concern about the plant’s safety and the credibility of its operators……

Dozens of reactors around the country have had their 40-year licenses extended by 20 years without much debate. Under the Atomic Energy Act, such decisions are usually the sole purview of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

But Vermont struck a deal with Entergy when it bought the plant in 2002 that gave legislators a veto role. An official with the federal nuclear commission noted that if the state blocked a license renewal, Entergy could file a court challenge.

Vermont Yankee is the largest generator of power in Vermont. But New England’s power grid has a surplus of electricity because of the recession. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/28/business/energy-environment/28nuclear.html

January 29, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | politics, USA | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear wastes, radiation, radioactive, reactor | Leave a comment

Local councils rule out new nuclear plants

Cumbria councillors say they are concerned about how and where waste from any new nuclear station would be stored.

Council rules out Cumbria greenbelt land nuclear sites Councillors in Cumbria have come out against plans which could see new nuclear power stations built on greenbelt land. BBC News 27 Jan 2010 Continue reading →

January 27, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | politics, UK | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear wastes, radiation, radioactive | Leave a comment

Nuclear contamination from Tritium – dangerous and super-costly to fix

the Environmental Protection Agency’s tritium standards are far too liberal…..the real focus should be on tritium and the nuclear industry’s continued release of the isotope into the environment,

Expert: No level of tritium safe Times Argus By DANIEL BARLOW Vermont Press Bureau : January 27, 2010 MONTPELIER – The federal government may have set a safe drinking water standard for tritium, but no amount of that radioactive isotope, which is now leaking from the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant, is safe, according to a national expert. Continue reading →

January 27, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | environment, USA | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear secrecy, nuclear wastes, nuclear weapons, radiation, radioactive | Leave a comment

Colorado bill will force uranium mills to clean up

“Taxpayers have given a one billion dollar bailout to uranium companies to clean up past mill sites, just in the state of Colorado,”s.hauser@krdo.com

Bill Announced To Crack Down On Uranium Mills NEWSCHANNEL 13 by Sean Hauser Jan 27, 2010 FREMONT COUNTY – A major bill was announced in Canon City Tuesday to deliver a message to Uranium Mills in Colorado that enough is enough. Continue reading →

January 27, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | politics, USA | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear wastes, radiation, radioactive, uranium | Leave a comment

Utah’s heavy burden from uranium

Depleted uranium gets more and more hazardous for at least 1 million years. In contrast, most of the Class A waste at the Utah site is supposed to pose virtually no radiation risk after 100 years………..

Public largely critical of depleted uranium disposal – State has already borne a heavy burden from the nuclear industry, one Utahn says. By Judy FahysThe Salt Lake Tribune: 01/26/2010 Utah’s depleted uranium regulations should ensure no harm will come to the public or the environment as long as the waste remains dangerous — and that, said some Utahns on Tuesday, means the radioactive waste does not belong in a shallow disposal site in western Utah. Continue reading →

January 27, 2010 Posted by Christina Macpherson | USA, wastes | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear secrecy, nuclear wastes, radiation, radioactive, uranium | Leave a comment