The government has renewed Lynas Malaysia Sdn Bhd’s operating licence with strict safety conditions to ensure radioactive waste is properly managed, Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Chang Lih Kang said today.
NST reported Chang as saying that that under the approval, any radioactive residues produced by the company must be neutralised to safe levels, and production of radioactive waste must completely stop in five years.
He added that Lynas’ operations will also be continuously monitored in real-time to protect both the public and the environment.
A key condition of the renewal is that no new Permanent Disposal Facility (PDF) for radioactive waste will be allowed, preventing the continuous accumulation of waste in Malaysia.
“Any Water Leach Purification (WLP) residue produced during this period must be neutralised using approved methods, such as thorium extraction, to levels below 1 Becquerel per gram.
“This ensures there will be no continuous accumulation of radioactive waste in Malaysia and demonstrates the government’s commitment to public safety and environmental responsibility,” he said in a press conference here today.
Read the rest of the report here.
