Rethink on medical imaging radiation to cut risks AUSTRALIAN IT Jennifer Foreshew | October 27, 2009
A COMPUTER program that aims to make radiography imaging safer for patients by minimising their radiation exposure is expected to be tested in a clinical environment next year.
Posts Tagged ‘Australia’
Cutting the risks of medical radiation
October 27, 2009Woomera to get “temporary” dump of mixed radioactive waste
October 23, 2009Alarm over radioactive waste plan KIM WHEATLEY
Adelaide NowOctober 23, 2009
ABOUT 80 drums of radioactive waste has been earmarked to be shifted 450km from Edinburgh RAAF base to a new waste dump at Woomera.
The Defence Department is seeking licence approvals to turn an old explosives storage building into the Koolymilka Waste Storage Facility in the Woomera Prohibited area.
Defence has told The Advertiser that it also plans to shift 206 44-gallon (194 litres) drums – or about 40 cubic metres – from a nearby Woomera site for the new “temporary” waste dump.
Five years ago, the Federal Government scrapped plans to build a low-level nuclear waste dump near Woomera after strong opposition from the State Government – and moves to establish a permanent facility have stalled ever since.
While the State Government has raised no objections to yet another “temporary” facility being established, it is worried about radioactive waste being transported through the state, especially if it is trucked……………..
The Defence Department only provided a small list to The Advertiser of the types of “low and intermediate” waste that will be held in storage, including valves from radar and telecommunications equipment, luminous aircraft dials and smoke detectors.
But it made no mention of suggestions that it would also house contaminated soil from an old CSIRO site in Melbourne and other radioactive material from medical and research facilities from around the nation. http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,26246813-2682,00.html
Smart grid for Australia – a world first
October 23, 2009SP AusNet Selects GE for World`s First 4G Communications Smart Grid Solution, Delivering Revolutionary Security and Reliability Benefits
Oct 22, 2009 GE Brings Together Ecosystem of Companies to Deliver a Smart Grid Solution for
Today and Tomorrow
ATLANTA–(Business Wire)–
GE Energy Services announced today that SP AusNet, one of Australia`s largest
utilities, will be the first in the world to implement GE`s WiMAX
fourth-generation (4G) smart grid solution. (more…)
BHP’s poor safety performance in South Africa
October 23, 2009Miners’ safety in spotlight after death
Sydney Morning Herald BARRY FITZGERALD
October 22, 2009
BHP Billiton’s safety performance at its overseas operations has come under fresh scrutiny because of a fatal accident at its Khutala coalmine in South Africa.
The accident was of the type that BHP has previously moved to eliminate from its Pilbara iron ore mines in Western Australia after several deaths last year.
BHP said a mining operations supervisor, Gregory Goslett, 27, was killed at Khutala when he was struck in his light vehicle by coal that had fallen from a loaded haul truck going the other way.
Mining at the open-cut has been suspended and investigations are under way.
NT’s secret: nuke waste dump deal, despite govt promises
October 22, 2009Secret $200k nuclear dump contract criticised ABC News By David Coady 22 Oct 09 The Greens are criticising the Federal Government for keeping secret a contract with traditional owners about a nuclear waste dump in the Northern Territory. (more…)
Hypocrisy of Australia over uranium sales
October 22, 2009The Forgotten Nightmare: Global Cooling By Robin Davis 21 October, 2009 Countercurrents.org “……Here in Australia, advocates of uranium mining and export claim that this gives us a more credible voice in the world arena than we would otherwise have. They say our position as the largest source of uranium and the second largest exporter after Canada makes us more effective in preventing nuclear proliferation than we would otherwise be. In other words, by selling the stuff from which nuclear weapons are made, we are helping to stop the spread of nuclear weapons.
This absurd reasoning extends to the so-called “safeguard” agreements – essentially book-keeping entries – that supposedly track every morsel of “Australian Obligated” uranium during its travels around the world, including its reprocessing and on-selling. We can rest assured that Australian uranium won’t be used to make nuclear weapons – or free up other uranium for that purpose – because we say it can’t and the buyer nations say it won’t………
History tells a different story. Of about 60 countries that have nuclear power or research reactors more than 20 have used their “peaceful” facilities for covert nuclear weapons research or production or both. India, Pakistan, Israel, South Africa and North Korea have all developed nuclear weapons under cover of “peaceful” nuclear programs……………..
The belligerence and blatant double standards demonstrated by the “big five,” who also hold the five permanent seats and veto power on the UN Security Council, provides motivation and “justification” for other states – some repeatedly threatened with attack, including nuclear attack (“all options are on the table”) – to develop a nuclear “deterrent” of their own. “Peaceful” nuclear programs are the obvious way for them to develop the necessary expertise and facilities and to acquire the technology and essential raw material: uranium……………
It seems the straight-faced hypocrisy of successive Australian governments is boundless: joining in the vilification of the latest designated nuclear “rogue” states, worrying over nuclear terrorism and mouthing non-proliferation platitudes on the one hand while allowing exports of the raw material for nuclear proliferation on the other. If Australia were sincere it would leave its uranium in the ground..
OLympic Dam uranium mine disrupted for months
October 22, 2009BHP warns of Olympic Dam disruption until 2010 Guardian.co.uk. 22 Oct 09 Following yesterday’s mixed production report from Xstrata, comes a similar theme from BHP Billiton. “……….
BHP also warned of higher than normal stockpiles of commodities in the key Chinese market. Charles Kernot at Evolution Securities issued a sell note, saying:
Production was mixed and is still broadly below year-ago levels (with the exception of oil and gas). Commodity expectations are the bug-bear with near-term demand likely to weaken rather than strengthen.
The group’s outlook statement… confirms our view that Chinese restocking is at an end and current metal stocks are at higher than normal levels. The rest of the world is still suffering and there is no expectation of higher demand until after mid-2010 – nine months away…………….The news has left BHP shares down 30p at £17.96.
BHP warns of Olympic Dam dispruption until 2010 | Business | guardian.co.uk
Lack of govt support for solar
October 22, 2009Australia ‘should lead in solar tech’ Sydney Morning Herald PETER VENESS AND CATHY ALEXANDER October 21, 2009 – Australia should take a leading role in developing solar energy technology as part of the fight against global warming, the International Energy Agency’s chief economist says. (more…)
Public should know about Ranger uranium mine leak
October 21, 2009Probe into uranium mine leak continues ABC News Oct 20, 2009 The Commonwealth supervising scientist of the Ranger uranium mine at Kakadu National Park says investigations are continuing into water contamination at the site. (more…)
Staff not evacuated after spill at Lucas Heights
October 21, 2009Staff not evacuated after spill at Lucas Heights THE AUSTRALIAN October 21, 2009 Australian Associated Press OPERATORS at Sydney’s Lucas Heights nuclear reactor were not evacuated after a radiation chemical spill, a Senate committee has heard. (more…)
Nuclear Australia 