Lynas - it's all based on facts and evidence

I don't want to write too much on this one because some trolls may accuse me of spinning

So, you all can read for yourselves this latest one on the Lynas issue;

Lynas operations satisfy all

 criteria, say officials

excerpts

1. Faizal Mohd Yusof, a senior official with the international trade and industry ministry (Miti), also justified the 12-year tax exemption given to Lynas, considering its benefits to the country.

He said Lynas had fulfilled 10 factors to receive its factory licence in early 2008, including those concerning the environment.

He said other factors included its technology, positive effect on the supply chain and amount of investment.

He said the company provided jobs to locals and gave them the opportunity to expand their skills and knowledge.

2. During the Facebook Live feed, an Atomic Energy Licensing Board (AELB) official said radioactive materials are found naturally in the environment.

He further explained that prior to giving out licences, AELB had a comprehensive mechanism to determine whether or not a chemical plant was qualified for the licence.

“The standards we have in Malaysia are not just any standards — we abide by international standards.

“On top of that, in the Lynas case, we also set up a public committee before giving them the licence in September 2012.”

3. An official from the Pahang State Environmental Department said staff conducted checks on environmental quality, as underlined in the plant’s Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). The department found that Lynas had maintained all the standards.

In relation to concerns about heavy metal residue found in surrounding agricultural land, the official said the study looked at the heavy metal residue found in agricultural products such as palm oil and “found positive results”.

In response to the independent committee’s inquiries into the water quality as a result of chemical waste, the official said the presence of industrial sites along Sungai Balok had actually improved the water quality, due to high-technology waste treatment technology being utitlised.

“Lynas itself has a sophisticated treatment system. The volume of chemical waste has not even been an issue because it meets all limits set.”

4. An official from the health ministry said it was too early to tell if any pollution from the Lynas plant would cause any type of cancer.

5. A Department of Occupational Safety and Hazard (DOSH) official also agreed that Lynas had met all its obligations.

“They have abided by all criteria for occupational safety.”

In terms of the treatment of hazardous chemicals, it found that despite the risks, adequate safety precautions were being taken.

In terms of pollution, dust and mineral oil mist produced as by-products by the plant’s activities, the official said it was found to be at a low level.

“The chemical hazards at the facility show possible negative effects on the respiratory system and skin. However, the same situation applies to any other factory.”

So how? Satisfied or not?

They look silly to me

What? Still not satisfied?

Here, this time I'm putting in full from Dr Mahathir's own writing back in 2012.

LYNAS

1. I was the first to write in my blog about rare earth, about how difficult it was to rid ourselves from activated rare earth when it was no longer needed.
2. Rare earth can be used for many things and in many ways. The rare earth represented by tin tailing, mostly ilmenite, when activated can be used in colour television. Today colour television uses plasma or LED.
3. This posed a problem of getting rid of the activated rare earth left in Malaysia. Finally it was agreed between Mitsubishi Electric and Malaysia that a site in Perak of almost a square kilometre be reserved for burying under concrete the activated “amang”.

4. Although visitors were banned and no human habitation was allowed at the site, I am told that now there is no more danger of radiation and human dwellings have been built there.

5. The Lynas project is not about activating the rare earth to make it radioactive. It is about extraction of the element to be used in making lithium ion batteries and magnets.
6. Lithium ion batteries are extensively used to power electronic products including mobile phones.
7. We carry in our pockets and use mobile phones all the time, putting them against our ears to hear and speak over the air waves. Obviously they are not harmful. This lithium ion battery does not emit harmful radiation.
8. As I understand it, the Lynas plant in Pahang does not involve activating any of the rare earth components to make them radioactive. The process cannot be harmful. As for the waste, it does not give off harmful radiation either. The waste is just ordinary earth which is normally mixed with the small amounts of rare earth. The necessity to export the waste does not arise.
9. Malaysia is endowed with significant quantities of rare earth. In its natural state it is harmless. Tin tailings or “amang” is probably more likely to give off radio waves than rare earth. The mining and extraction of rare earth can bring much wealth to Malaysia. In fact Malaysia should be producing lithium ion batteries for use in electric and hybrid cars. Today these batteries are being produced in Germany and Britain, using rare earth from China and elsewhere.
10. Lithium ion batteries will be much in demand in the future. They are usually rechargeable and can last for many years.
11. It would be a great loss to Malaysia if misguided people prevent us from extracting and using the high clean electrical capacities of rare earth. Just as the lithium ion batteries in the cellular phones is not harmful even when we carry them everywhere in our pockets and put them to our ears, the mining and extracting of rare earth from Malaysian earth will not harm us in any way.

Don't argue with Dr Mahathir, okay. He's almost always right. If Lynas still loses the case after all these facts and evidence had been presented, then I don't know what else to say.