Howard Signs Up To Take World's Nuclear Waste

Howard signs Australia up to take world's nuclear waste with Global Nuclear Partnership

Prime Minister John Howard has signed Australia up to take the world's nuclear waste with the announcement this morning that the US will support Australia's bid to join the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership.

GNEP involves a small number of countries enriching uranium, leasing the nuclear fuel to other countries eager to develop nuclear power and taking back the radioactive spent fuel for reprocessing and disposal.

Howard signs Australia up to take world's nuclear waste with Global Nuclear Partnership

Prime Minister John Howard has signed Australia up to take the world's nuclear waste with the announcement this morning that the US will support Australia's bid to join the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership. will leave a toxic legacy for generations of Australians without solving dangerous climate change," said Greenpeace CEO Steve Shallhorn.

"Nuclear energy is not the solution to climate change.

"Nuclear energy still produces a significant greenhouse pollution and it will be at least ten years before new nuclear plants can be built when we need action on climate change now.

"Even in the extremely unlikely event that the world could double nuclear power output by 2050, it would only reduce greenhouse pollution by about 5%.

"It is more than 60 years since the first atom bomb was made but there is still no safe, long term solution to nuclear waste anywhere in the world.

"By signing us up to GNEP John Howard is taking the first step towards the imposition of an international nuclear waste dump in Australia," said Wilderness Society Acting Director Virginia Young.

"The entire purpose of GNEP is for countries to take back nuclear waste. It is simply not believable for the Government to claim that we could join GNEP but rule out an international nuclear waste dump.

"The United States desperately needs somewhere to put their nuclear waste after public opposition stopped their proposed dump at Yucca Mountain.

"The Australian Government has already rushed through legislation that for the first time allows Australia to import radioactive waste from overseas.

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