Govt to review Lynas proposal to continue condisoil R&D, says Khairy

KUALA LUMPUR (Bernama): The government will review the proposal for Lynas Malaysia Sdn Bhd (Lynas) to continue research and development of water-leached purification (WLP) residue as condisoil (a soil conditioner) for agricultural use.

However, Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said the decision was subject to approval from the Cabinet, and the ministry will stick with plans to move the waste to a permanent disposal facility (PDF) if the R&D fails to be commercialised.

"The decision by the Cabinet on Feb 12 and 19 is that Lynas must end all R&D activities relating to the use of WLP residue as condisoil in agriculture....but during the time we were waiting for the PDF to be completed, we can continue with the R&D.

"Because if the R&D finds that WLP waste can really be used as condisoil, what is wrong with it, if there are no dangerous, radioactive and other effects,” he said during the question-and-answer session in the Dewan Rakyat on Tuesday (Aug 4).

Khairy was replying to a supplementary question from Abdul Latiff Abdul Rahman (PAS-Kuala Krai) on whether the ministry plans to re-activate the R&D on Lynas which could have the potential to be commercialised for use in the agriculture sector.

Earlier, replying to a question from Wong Tack (PH-Bentong) on the site which had been approved for the Lynas PDF, Khairy said the Pahang state government had approved a 202.35-hectare multi-category scheduled industrial waste disposal site at Bukit Ketam, in Mukim Kuala Kuantan and is in the process of gazetting the area.

He said the state government has also approved Lynas’ application to build the PDF in any part of the industrial waste disposal site, using only 12 hectares or six percent of the total area which will be gazetted.

"In its meeting on July 28, the Atomic Energy Licensing Board (AELB) approved the proposed site, subject to approval of the Radiological Impact Assessment (RIA) and Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) studies as well as other relevant requirements of the local authorities.

"The reports of all the studies must be presented to the local authorities for assessment before approval to build the PDF is issued by the AELB,” he said.

On when the PDF site can be used for development purposes, Khairy referred to the 300-year institutional control set by the AELB for the Asean Rare Earth’s Bukit Kledang repository in Ipoh.

"300 years of institutional control at the repository in Bukit Kledang for the Asean Rare Earth Thorium radioactive material. So for Lynas, we will also refer to our experience in Bukit Kledang,” he said.- Bernama