Stop Pangea nuclear waste dump

by Joan Williams

Opposition is growing in Western Australia against the Pangea Resources 
proposal for a commercial high level nuclear waste dump in outback WA.

Pangea Resources have put aside a minimum $1 million to sidetrack the 
growing opposition to the dump. First shot is to stop the word "dump" being 
used in connection with the project, which is being covered with 
hypocritical moralising about our "duty" to humanity to take nuclear waste 
which is too hot for Europe and the USA to handle.

Charles McCombie, Pangea Resources Technical and Strategic Adviser, is very 
hurt by the constant use of the word "dump" for Pangea's lofty intentions.

"This waste is actually a high quality product, not rubbish off the back of 
a lorry", he was quoted as saying in Minerals Gazette, May 1999.

"In fact, it is often a quality assured value-added product ... So you can 
call the facility what you like, but it is not just a dump".

A pity that a growing number of West Australians do see it as a dump by 
multinationals clubbing together specifically to explore the global nuclear 
dump concept, starting with WA and malleable State and Federal Governments.

These corporations include British Nuclear Fuels (BFNL), linked to the 
world's second largest plutonium stockpile and having no way of storing its 
waste.

US connections go all the way to the top — Pangea has the ear of the 
President through his Special Envoy on weapons of mass destruction, says 
Robert Galluci in New Nuclear News, published by the Anti-Uranium 
Coalition of WA.

With growing membership, the Coalition includes: The Conservation Council 
of WA, The Environment Centre of WA, Medical Association for the Prevention 
of War, PND, Parliamentarians against Uranium Mining, Australian 
Conservation Foundation.

The Anti-Uranium Coalition is sponsoring a speaking tour by Mary Olson, US 
anti-nuclear campaigner with the Nuclear Information Resource Centre, with 
public meetings from August 14-17.

Is Peace Possible?

On this theme, the WA Branch of the CPA held a successful breakfast and 
discussion, underscored by the coming anniversary of Hiroshima Day on 
August 6.

The discussion included many thoughtful contributions from an audience 
ranging from peace activists and trade unionists to anthropologists.