Newspaper article

TOPIC: NUCLEAR WASTE

Nuclear waste leading into the idea of student campaigning…..
Written by, Anonymous (Diploma of Community Development)

Tuesday, 9 September 2008 7:58:34 PM

It is a known fact that Australia is fast becoming a dumping ground for nuclear waste. It is a prominent topic on the news with the Rudd government “ruling out accepting nuclear waste from other countries”. Nuclear waste is a big enough issue for “the Rudd government to have to review their involvement” (couriermail.com.au) in the matter, as said at an international nuclear forum, just recently. That means to look at the damages it is having on our environment on an international scale!
What does this mean for us, as students? How can we stop it? You are probably thinking, ‘big deal if it doesn’t concern me, so why care?’ or ‘I don’t see it, it isn’t in my backyard, so really why am I even reading this article!’...well if you thought any of those thoughts, or similar they are all good points….seriously we don’t much think about things like this on a daily basis do we? I mean do we really get up everyday and say, “Hey, I wonder what has been dumped in my backyard? I wonder if it is green and icky, I wonder if it is nuclear waste, cool!” No we don’t! And the closest thing to nuclear reactors and waste we know is the one we see Homer Simpson operating in the popular US comic sitcom, The Simpsons.
This brings us to a bit of an issue, doesn’t it? If it isn’t happening in our backyard and we can’t see it, should we really care? Well my answer to that is absolutely! The debate about radioactive or nuclear waste being dumped continues. It is not only an issue for Australians to fight in order to protect our lives and our future but it is a global fight to save mankind! It may not be affecting us right now because we can’t see it, but it is definitely affecting us everyday, just because we can’t see something doesn’t mean it is not happening.
An ABC news article (June 2008) quotes: “Apart from radioactive waste from uranium mines, usually dealt with by the mines themselves, Professor Johnston estimates there are around 500 stockpiles of low-level and intermediate-level radioactive waste scattered around Australia.”
For the past 50 years Australians have been waring to stop nuclear usage and dumping among our shores, with nuclear plants like the Lucas Heights research reactor in Sydney failing to treat the high levels of radioactive waste, and causing nuclear waste being dumped somewhere unknown doesn’t assist in this problem. This negligence is causing nuclear waste short becoming an epidemic, while awaiting processing, nuclear waste never gets processed and leads to mass nuclear waste dumps emerging across Australia, because if the nuclear plants aren’t processing it, then where does the nuclear waste go?.. There is something you can do about it, though, if you are concerned about this issue, as a student you can protest or join a campaign. Campaigning means you get an opportunity to voice yours concerns and fight for what you believe in!

Sources:

Couriermail.com.au. (2008), Australia won't accept nuclear waste, says government. Accessed: Tuesday, September 09, 2008 [found at] http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,24022857-5012321,00.html

Antinuclear Australia, (2008) Nuclear Wastes, Accessed: Tuesday, 9 September 2008[found at]http://antinuclear.net/Aust%20-%20wastes.htm