The U308 uranium ore, known as yellowcake, should not be passing through New Zealand's nuclear-free seas, let alone coming into port, Green Party oceans spokesman Gareth Hughes said. "I am deeply worried with the result to routinely ship uranium ore focus through New Zealand ports en route to the United States," he said.
Trans-shipment of nuclear ore appeared to break the principles of the Nuclear Free Zone, Disarmament and Arms Control Act 1987, which bans nuclear weapons and nuclear-powered ships from New Zealand waters. "The Green Party is investigate legislation to update the Act so that the principles are upheld with a ban on uranium shipping through New Zealand," Hughes said.
The Environmental Risk Management Authority (ERMA) last month year accepted shipping of the focus ore mineral through the ports of Auckland, Nelson, Napier and Tauranga en route to France, via Colombia. It is being shipped by BHP Billiton, which owns the Olympic Dam mine in South Australia. RMA can decline such trans-shipments if it believes the hazardous substance cannot be sufficiently contained, but said the shipment of containers loaded with 48 steel drums of 98-99 per cent pure U308 could be cleaned up if it spilled.
No comments:
Post a Comment