onus is on lynas to get nod for waste shipment

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2012/3/28/parliament/11002216&sec=parliament

Wednesday March 28, 2012

‘Onus is on Lynas to get nod for waste shipment’

Reports by MARTIN CARVALHO, YUEN MEIKENG, RAHIMY RAHIM and TASHNY SUKUMARAN


THE onus of obtaining permission from the authorities to ship waste from the proposed rare earth plant in Gebeng, Pahang, to Australia lies with operators Lynas Corporation, said Science, Technology and Innovations Minister Datuk Seri Dr Maximux Ongkili.

“There has been no official word from the authorities in Australia over the shipment (of the waste) and I have not received any formal communication,” he said at Parliament lobby.

Though helping facilitate Lynas’ investment in setting up the plant here, he noted there were conditions that the company must fulfil with the onus on them to obtain approval for waste shipment to Australia if the need arose.

“We are not here for the purpose of just helping Lynas. We have set conditions and they must follow,” he said.

The Atomic Energy Licensing Board’s (AELB) imposed five conditions for the issuance of a temporary operating licence for the Lynas plant which includes locating a suitable site for a permanent disposal facility.

“If Lynas cannot process the wastes here according to our standard or cannot find a permanent disposal site, then they have to seek a site outside this country.

“Otherwise, I am not giving the licence as they have signed for that,” Ongkili repeatedly said.

On another matter, Ongkili said a nine-member evaluation panel comprising experts from both government agencies and private independent bodies had been formed to conduct an engineering audit of the proposed plant.

Earlier in the house, Ongkili said Lynas Corporation chose to have its rare earth plant in Malaysia because the cost to operate the facility here was 30% of that in Australia.

Ongkili said the external and internal radiation from the plant’s operations had been taken into account in the planning.

“This plant requires no less than seven licences – one from the International Trade and Industry Ministry, another from the district council, three from the Science, Technology and Innovations Ministry, one from the Department of Environment and another from the Department of Occupational Safety and Health.

“As for the internal safety of the plant, there will be another licence to be issued to ensure the safety of the workers there,” he said.