PSC: Give Lynas TOL, plant not a major hazard

The Lynas Advanced Materials Plant (Lamp) does not have the potential to cause major accident hazards and it should thus be issued with a temporary operating licence (TOL), the parliamentary select committee (PSC) on Lamp says.

This is based on the fact that the RM700 million plant in Gebeng, Kuantan, is not a nuclear installation, going by scientific facts, legal definitions and information imparted by experts, says the PSC in its report which was presented to Parliament yesterday.

"The committee notes that Lamp is a chemical factory based on the Ministry of International Trade and Industry approval, which classifies its products as rare earth oxides and carbonates.

"Meanwhile, the Department of Occupational Safety and Health categorises it as a manufacturing factory while the Department of Environment categorises it as a chemical factory based on the Environmental Quality Act 1974," the report states.

While the report acknowledges that residues from Lamp will contain naturally occurring radioactive materials, including uranium and thorium, it says these were not nuclear fuels and are regulated in Malaysia, despite this not being the case in most nations.

It added that it would be impossible for the people to be sufficiently exposed to thorium in the residues produced by the factory to the extent that it would damage their health.

'Not enough to impact health'

"The committee notes that there is no possibility for a person to be exposed to thorium, be it internally or externally, by the residues produced at Lynas' factory in quantities that would be detrimental or exceed the allowed limit," the report says.

The PSC report further noted that the plant utilises state-of-the-art technology.

"The committee is also satisfied that the Lamp project has fulfilled the standard and legal requirements in Malaysia, which are matched by international standards and practices," it states.

The panel said Lamp had prepared an international complaints system to ensure the health and safety of the public as well as for environmental protection during its temporary operation period. 

As such, the PSC report in its summary recommended that the TOL for the plant, which had been approved in February but not issued yet, be given to Lamp.

"The committee recommends that the TOL be issued so as to allow Lamp to process limited amount of lantahanide concentration in stages with continuous observation from enforcement agencies," it says.

It added that the compliance of Lynas during this TOL stage will be the basis for future stages of licensing.

The PSC on Lamp was formed on March 20 after heavy public criticism of the project over concerns that it would adversely affect the lives of the local population.

It is headed by Higher Education Minister Mohamed Khaled Nordin, with Abdul Rahman Dahlan (BN-Kota Belud), Teng Boon Soon (BN-Tebrau), Nancy Shukri (BN-Batang Sadong), Liang Teck Meng (BN-Simpang Renggam) and Zulkifli Noordin (Independent-Kulim Bandar Baharu) as members.