Australia’s Radiation Cover Up

The Intel Hub
By Michelle Jones

On November 3, 2006, in Lucas Heights Australia, OPAL, the Open Pool Australian Light-Water Reactor was throttled to full power. There was grave opposition to this $400 million science research/nuclear facility, a facility used for the science and manufacturing  of nuclear medicines. Those who opposed the facility claimed that the dangers of a nuclear fission facility were too high to allow such a facility to operate in Australia.

The public was reassured by the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency  that the reactor was based on the most up to date technology and was fitted with many different safety features.

It has now come to the public’s attention that the ARPNSA has been involved in a two year cover up of intentionally released radioactive plumes. A report released on Saturday August 29th stated that,

“Potentially dangerous radioactive gases have been secretly pumped into the atmosphere from Lucas Heights and have spread hundreds of kilometers from the nuclear reactor – but the public have never been told.”

The article further goes on to cite that the reason for secrecy was out of concern over alarming the public. The release of the deadly radio xenon was in such high concentrates that, two days later,  the plumes were detected all the way into Melbourne.

Officials have claimed that they were notified at the time and that the emissions were well within public safety guideline These same officials reassured the public in 2006 that many safety features were installed within the reactor, safety measures that should have prevented the release of radioactive plumes.

Significant amounts of  Xenon-133 were found in the gas plumes, a fission product that can also be found in the plumes of a nuclear explosion. Despite all the scientific evidence that these gas plumes are dangerous, the Australian government continues to maintain that the plumes were not harmful to the public and were all well within the range of safety.

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