Pangea pushing ahead with dump plan

Pangea pushing ahead with dump plan

By Sean Martin-Iverson

PERTH — Despite opposition from all political parties and several local councils, Pangea Resources has not abandoned its plan to build a nuclear waste dump in outback WA.

The nuclear waste company is proceeding with a $15 million feasibility study. Over the last two weeks, it has given presentations to the Laverton, Coolgardie and Kalgoorlie-Boulder councils.

The head of Pangea's Australian operation, Charles McCombie, still thinks that the proposal will win political backing. On November 23 he told the West Australian, "We would not be here if we didn't believe it was possible [to proceed with the dump]. Many people have chosen to support this idea and we feel we have an obligation to put the case."

Greens MLC Giz Watson has expressed concern that the legislation to ban a nuclear waste dump in WA will have a loophole which will still allow the transportation of nuclear waste to a dump in South Australia or elsewhere. The definition of "nuclear waste" may also be restricted to particular categories of radioactive material.

From GLW issue 387