Poor institutional control of radioactive waste for the last one hundred years now poses a threat to communities and the natural environment.
Over the past number of years, reports by scientific and research institutions, industry specialists, regulators, activists and non-government organizations have drawn attention to radioactive and metal contamination. Areas affected include the Wonderfonteinspruit Catchment Area where the contamination results mainly from diffuse and direct pollution from gold and uranium mining and poor institutional control.
Uranium is generally associated with the gold ores of the Witwatersrand. Uranium and its radiogenic progeny, are therefore found in many of the residues and wastes produced in the mining and processing of Witwatersrand ores.
By this submission, it is hoped that similar fact evidence can be adduced from the management of radioactive waste within the West Rand and the Far West Rand and the radioactive waste that will be generated from nuclear energy (PBMR).
In any pollution scenario, it is important to understand the risk posed by radioactive waste to the local communities, as well as the natural environment. The full submission may be downloaded here.