Lynas is disputing a report in a Chinese vernacular newspaper that quoted Deputy Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Dr Abu Bakar Mohamad Diah as saying that the permanent disposal facility (PDF) for the company’s rare earth plant will be built on site.
A Lynas spokesperson said as the proposal for the PDF was still being scrutinised by the Atomic Energy Licensing Board (AELB), its location could not be disclosed yet.
“But the thing is we are not building the PDF inside the plant. We already have the residue storage facility (RSF) on site which will be used to store the waste to be converted into co-products, which will then be exported.
“Although we do not need the PDF, it is a requirement under the temporary operating licence that we submit a proposal within ten months as recommended by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA),” said the spokesperson when contacted on Monday.
Sin Chew Daily had reported Dr Abu Bakar as saying that the PDF must be located at the plant to avoid accidents in the transfer of waste materials.
He was reported to have said that it was a regulation set by the Government that the waste would not be transferred to and disposed off in other states.
He pointed out that according to international standards, the PDF must be built to prepare for contingencies. At the same time, the Government agreed to allow the company to reprocess the waste into safe, non-radioactive products which meant Lynas could use it for research and development purposes.
The report also quoted Dr Abu Bakar as saying that Lynas must transfer the waste out of the country.
