Hello, didn't Lynas say wastes to be exported?

YOURSAY 'Now is the time to ask the court to suspend the TOL because AELB has said that they will enforce Lynas pledge to export the waste.'

Wastes won't be exported out of Malaysia, says Lynas

Odin: Lynas Malaysia managing director Mashal Ahmad, you have been reported to have said no residues from your plant would be exported out of Malaysia, as your company needed to abide by international conventions that prohibit the export of hazardous wastes to other countries.

This means that the residues which your plant will produce are toxic. All this while, however, we have been told that the residues would be safe to humans and the environment.

Does this not mean that your company, and those outside it but who support your operations, have been lying?

If the residues are toxic in the sense that they are fatal to you only if you ingest it, but it is non-toxic in the sense that it does not radiate any rays or exude any gases in strengths or in amounts, whichever applies, that are highly deleterious to your health, why then can they not be exported?

In an earlier comment of mine, I said that this project might indeed pose no hazards to the well-being of humans and the environment within its proximity, but the way the matter had been handled had caused suspicion in some people as to its harmlessness.

A few things have not been made clear. For example, there has been no statement on what exactly will be done with the residues. So far, we have heard that there have been no plans yet on where and how to store these.

Next, we heard that these would be exported. We have also heard that these would be processed into commercial products for export and left zero wastes.

We shall assume that by ‘residues' and ‘wastes' here, they have referred to the solid discards. Or, are fluids included?

Xabiso: Do the people know about the 12-year tax free incentive gifted to this foreign company listed in Australia? Why am I not surprise that they are keeping the toxic waste in Lynas?

I remember someone giving an assurance last time that the waste will be exported back to Australia. We are talking about the toxic waste from processing rare earth, not the raw material (if the raw material is radioactive, Australian can't even send it to Malaysia).

Before plant operation - apa pun boleh (everything can be done). After start-up - dah tunjuk belang (show true colours).

Blogsmith: Now is the time to ask the court to suspend the temporary operating licence because AELB DG has said that they will enforce Lynas' pledge to export the waste.

From this Malaysiakini report: Atomic Energy Licensing Board (AELB) director-general Raja Abdul Aziz Raja Adnan has clarified that the regulatory body will enforce Lynas' pledge to export all its waste in the form of commercial products overseas.

"The management and removal of residue is an integral part of the Temporary Operating Licence (TOL) conditions and agreements and is permanently documented in the licence document issued to Lynas on Sept 5, 2012.

"Issue of removal of residue being non-binding for Lynas, does not arise. It is legally binding and AELB will enforce it."

Kgen: What cheaper production cost? What about the cost of transporting the earth from Australia to Malaysia? Most of the processes are automated so labour cost does not factor significantly in the production cost.

Does the 12-year tax holiday, lax environmental standards and an authoritarian regime which can impose its will on the people have anything to do with the choice of location?

Not Confused: So, the waste from the Lynas plant cannot be exported from Malaysia because it is hazardous, as defined under the international convention.

I had refrained from commenting on this issue as I felt that too many professionals, supposedly with some integrity, had reported and clearly stated that there was no risk to any Malaysians from the operation of the plant.

However, it is now confirmed that the waste from the plant will indeed be toxic so will have to be "disposed of" in Malaysia.

This seems like Malaysia is being used as a dumping ground simply because operating costs here are less and we have a corrupt government which is presumably being paid handsomely for licensing their operations.

Swipenter: Spending another RM2 million to install two units of radioactive detecting machinery is "unnecessary" expenditure. That is one callous and contemptous attitude towards the safety of Malaysians.

An Old Malaysian: The raw materials imported are not a danger to us due to the very low concentration of the radioactive elements.

However, if the raw materials are processed and the waste radioactive elements are being concentrated, they will become a threat to the environment, humans, animals, etc.

The danger is from the gamma radiation emitted by these radioactive elements. If in low concentration and exposure time is short, gamma radiation will be low and will not be harmful to us (for example, X-ray) but if the radioactive elements concentration is high (for example, Lynas waste products) they will be hazardous to all of us and the environment.

Why are the two radioactive detection monitoring systems - installed at Lamp and at the Kuantan police station - valued at RM2 million?

A Geiger-Mueller radiation detector will tell you if there is radiation emitted from the raw material.

Onyourtoes: What happened to the undertaking that the waste will be exported or moved out of country? Here, you can see that Lynas has negated its responsibility even before full scale production has begun.

Why do they keep saying the waste is harmless when there is so much control and restriction over the movement of this residue across borders?

The Lynas MD thinks it is a big deal for the company to spend a few million ringgit to counter anti-Lynas allegations and to install two "unnecessary" radioactive detection monitoring systems to rebut the allegation.

Look, the money spent was for you to assure us that the processes and movements of this material are safe. It is not for you to counter anti-Lynas allegations.

You better get the notion right in your moronic head. Given your attitude, I don't think we can be assured of your promises and assurance over the long term.

We have no confidence that the regulatory authorities will stay vigilant too. It is better you get out.  - Malaysiakini