Open letter:
"As people from all across Australia, we call on the federal government and Resources Minister Madeleine King to stop the double-handling and relocation of radioactive waste to a highly contested regional facility proposed near Kimba in regional South Australia.
The Intermediate Level Waste should remain where it is securely stored at the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation's Lucas Heights facility, pending the outcome of an open review of future management options to identify a credible long-term solution. It's time for us to advance responsible waste management that keeps communities and nature safe."
A waste dump in Kimba would be bad news
The Morrison Government committed to a deeply flawed national plan to dump radioactive waste in one of our regional communities – near the town of Kimba in South Australia.
Radioactive waste risks our air, soil and water. It damages the genetic and reproductive systems of plants, animals and people. And this waste lasts for up to ten thousand years.
Our communities should not face such an intergenerational burden, especially when most have not had a say and the Barngarla Native Title holders are explicitly opposed to the plan.
95% of Australia’s most serious radioactive waste is currently managed at the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation’s (ANSTO) Lucas Heights site in southern Sydney.
This is the best place to store our worst waste until a lasting solution is adopted.
Storing the waste in a regional community, and double handling it is unnecessary and irresponsible – especially as our federal nuclear regulator has confirmed it can be safely stored at ANSTO ‘for decades to come’.
As well as lacking a clear rationale, the federal plan inherited from the Morrison government is also deficient in relation to community consultation and consent Barngarla Traditional Owners were excluded from a Kimba community ballot, and communities across South Australia and along potential transport corridors have not had a say in the plan.
Instead, let's call on the Minister to embrace evidence-based, responsible waste management.
Sign the open letter now asking Resources Minister Madeleine King to keep the radioactive waste securely stored at the best place until we adopt a credible and evidence-based approach to long-term waste management.
Latest Supporters
Kimba should not be used as a dumping ground for radio active waste.
It will contaminate the soil, water and environment for thousands of years!
It needs to remain where it is, kept in a safe, contained place and be handled with extreme caution.
Do not dump the toxic waste in Kimba or in other community sites!
Our resources are not infinite.
Toxic waste such as this MUST be handled with extreme caution and be moved around at the least amount possible to prevent accidents and further contamination.
I agree with this text written by another responder to this situation: "Those who produce radioactive materials must take responsibility for the safe, long-term storage of any waste which results.
Forcing an arbitrarily selected small town such as Kimba in Barngala Country to become a nuclear waste repository smacks of the same thoughtless arrogance which led to the Maralinga and Jukkan Gorge fiascos, and will lead to the same damaging consequences for people, the environment, and nature.
It is time for the Australian government to properly address the very long standing issue of disposal of ANSTO’s nuclear waste."
Please do the right thing.
Nuclear contamination is forever. Please don’t let it happen.
Responsible waste managementis essential otherwise we should not use chemicals that produce radioactive waste
No radioactive waste dumps in Australia please.
Those who produce radioactive materials must take responsibility for the safe, long-term storage of any waste which results.
Forcing an arbitrarily selected small town such as Kimba in Barngala Country to become a nuclear waste repository smacks of the same thoughtless arrogance which led to the Maralinga and Jukkan Gorge fiascos, and will lead to the same damaging consequences for people, the environment, and nature.
It is time for the Australian government to properly address the very long standing issue of disposal of ANSTO’s nuclear waste.
We deserve responsible, and transparent nuclear (and all) waste management. I feel the long term implications of a waste dump in this area have not been appropriately addressed, have not taken in proper, full, consultation with local communities (there are more than just one community possibly likely to feel impacts of this model), nor been fully researched, peer reviewed or considered. Our regional, rural and remote areas are not a dump they are an integral part of our Australian primary production resources, as well as important areas for wildlife natural habitats, in fact, so much more, intricately so, than our state and federal “representatives” appear to even care to understand. Just NOT acceptable as currently proposed
why put it where it never come from. Take it back to the mine where the raw material cme from.
Waste should be stored where it is created
Please reverse the former Minister’s decision on radioactive waste storage at Kimba. It is a poor approach and not the best option
well Ithink that’s obvious.
Please keep ALL safe and reconsider