Wastes returning to Europe
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| In the aftermath of the spread of toxic wastes in the economic capital of the Ivory Coast, Robin des Bois demanded their repatriation and treatment in Europe. Robin des Bois’s reaction was founded on the sanitary problems, mortality, panic, and rumors that, beginning on August 20, 2006, struck and distraught the populations. The insufficiency of available technical resources in the area and the goal expressed by Ivory Coast authorities to construct a waste bunker served to support the conviction that is was vital to clear Ivorian soil of the wastes discharged from the Probo Koala as quickly as possible.
Today, the MN Toucan, the first ship bringing back the wastes and the sediments with which they have been mixed and diluted, is arriving in the Norman port of Le Havre. Particular care was given to the choice of ship; it was without question that it register under the flag of convenience. The same demand will be made for following ships. Robin des Bois will now strive, in liaison with services of the State, the Ministry of Ecology, and other associations, to facilitate the fluidity and precision of transit and elimination phases of the 6,000 tons of material cleaned in Abidjan. It will be particularly seen to that the transportation between Le Havre and the south of Lyon is made regularly and by means of railway transport. In view of the fact that the dominant nature of the material to be treated results from its sulfur content, Robin des Bois wishes in addition that measurements of sulfur compounds released from Salaise’s furnace smokestacks will be made available to any associations that wish it, during the elimination phases. Finally, Robin des Bois notes that no other country member of the European Union has as yet mentioned the possibility of storing and treating these wastes, not even the Netherlands and Estonia who are even involved in responsibility, as possibly the United Kingdom, Spain, and Greece. |
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Wastes returning to Europe
| |
|||
| In the aftermath of the spread of toxic wastes in the economic capital of the Ivory Coast, Robin des Bois demanded their repatriation and treatment in Europe. Robin des Bois’s reaction was founded on the sanitary problems, mortality, panic, and rumors that, beginning on August 20, 2006, struck and distraught the populations. The insufficiency of available technical resources in the area and the goal expressed by Ivory Coast authorities to construct a waste bunker served to support the conviction that is was vital to clear Ivorian soil of the wastes discharged from the Probo Koala as quickly as possible.
Today, the MN Toucan, the first ship bringing back the wastes and the sediments with which they have been mixed and diluted, is arriving in the Norman port of Le Havre. Particular care was given to the choice of ship; it was without question that it register under the flag of convenience. The same demand will be made for following ships. Robin des Bois will now strive, in liaison with services of the State, the Ministry of Ecology, and other associations, to facilitate the fluidity and precision of transit and elimination phases of the 6,000 tons of material cleaned in Abidjan. It will be particularly seen to that the transportation between Le Havre and the south of Lyon is made regularly and by means of railway transport. In view of the fact that the dominant nature of the material to be treated results from its sulfur content, Robin des Bois wishes in addition that measurements of sulfur compounds released from Salaise’s furnace smokestacks will be made available to any associations that wish it, during the elimination phases. Finally, Robin des Bois notes that no other country member of the European Union has as yet mentioned the possibility of storing and treating these wastes, not even the Netherlands and Estonia who are even involved in responsibility, as possibly the United Kingdom, Spain, and Greece. |
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Returning the waste to Japan: the sooner the better
Cherbourg,
The contracts for spent fuel to be reprocessed in France, exported by Germany, Japan, Switzerland and Belgium stipulate that the waste must be sent back to the country of origin by the 31st December 1995.
In December 1990, in the report on the management of HLW compiled by the Parliamentary Office of evaluation of scientific and technological options, Mr. Mandil, General Manager of Energy and Raw Materials at the Ministry of Industry said in response to a question posed by a Robin des Bois representative “The contracts state very clearly the return of the waste to the countries of origin : this means that the return is not dependent on the eventual setting up of an underground storage in these countries of origin. They must deal with the waste which should start to be returned in 1994”.
