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https://www.thesundaily.my/local/iaea-says-lynas-residue-very-low-level-waste-YF968634

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IAEA says Lynas residue very low level waste

SYED DANIAL SYEDAZAHAR /

13 JUN 2019 / 23:33 H.

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PETALING JAYA: The Water Leached Purification residue(WLP) produced by Lynas is classified as very low level waste according to theInternational Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

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Lynas Radiation Safety, Regulations andCompliance general manage Prof Dr Ismail Bahari said under the 2009 IAEAclassification for radioactive waste as very low level waste does not need ahigh level of containment and isolation.

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“It can be stored in landfill typefacilities. Lynas has the Atomic Energy Licensing Board (AELB) class G licenceto temporarily store the WLP on site.” he said in a statement today.

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“Additionally, the AELB has previouslyapproved Lynas Malaysia siting plan for a permanent disposal facility.”

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He said that the Pakatan Harapan government’s2018 Executive Review Committee found Lynas Malaysia operations as low risk,compliant with relevant regulations and that its residue storage facilitieswere operated in a proper manner.

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“The review committee also found that LynasMalaysia had voluntarily taken additional initiatives to comply with otherinternational standards and practices.”

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Ismail said the anti-Lynas group wasmisleading the public to create fear around Lynas’ residues and their storage.The location of Lynas Malaysia which is said to be in a flood-prone area isincorrect.

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He said that the magnesium rich syntheticwhich was produce by the plant, Lynas Neutralisation Underflow (NUF) residue isclassified as a Schedule Waste and studies conducted by SIRIM and GolderAssociates found that the residue is non-hazardous, non-toxic material and doesnot show significant health impact on people or risk to the environment.

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“In Australia, Synthetic gypsum is not ascheduled waste.”

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Ismail added that Lynas Malaysia hasconducted research and development for commercialisation of its residues andNUF residue has been show to be able to replace Kieserite which is use inagriculture.

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“Pending commercialisation approval, the NUFresidue is stored in a specially designed and constructed NUF dry storagefacility approved by the Department of Environment under Regulation 9 ofEnvironmental Qualify (Scheduled Wastes) Regulations 2005,“ he said.