FED: Concern over ad for Australia as waste dump

AAP General News (Australia)
12-01-1998
FED: Concern over ad for Australia as waste dump

CANBERRA, Dec 1 AAP -Australian anti-nuclear activists today expressed concern over a US
promotional video advertising Australia as an ideal location as an international nuclear
waste dump.

A leaked copy of an American companys promotional video was given to Friends of the Earth
in the UK and then passed onto Australian independent consultant on radioactive issues, Jean
McSorley.

The tape explains how nuclear waste can be shipped to Australia then brought by rail and
buried in outback Australia.

It also explains how a site would benefit the Australian economy.

The US-based company, Pangea Resources, which deals with radioactive waste management,
claims to have held meetings with the Australian government at both ministerial and
bureaucratic levels.

"The video describes plans to have a nuclear waste dump from waste from all over the world
in Australia," Ms McSorley told ABC Radio.

"Its obviously a promotional video by a company overseas that must be pushing this idea to
a number of different nuclear agencies in different countries."

The real purpose of the video was to promote this as a final solution for the nuclear
industry in many countries that had nuclear waste disposal problems, she said.

"Many countries believe Australia is simply a massive barren land mass with a few
fringe-dwellers.

"We do know from media reports earlier this year that representatives of this company have
claimed that theyve met with ministers and public servants down here in Australia."

But she did not know what message they were getting.

She was also concerned legislation currently before federal parliament to regulate nuclear
industry could facilitate the operation of some kind of international waste dump.

The legislation left the door open for activities such as nuclear processing, she said.

AAP st/trm

KEYWORD: NUCLEAR

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