Stop Uranium Mining in New Brunswick
Uranium Mining is dangerous and has harmful effects on the environment and people. Here's what we know for sure:
1. "Exploration crews searching for uranium will receive radiation exposure from uranium and its associated radioactive decay products in the drill core cuttings" (Radiation Protection Guidelines for Uranium Exploration. Saskatchewan Labour Department, Occupational Health and Safety Division: http://www,labour.gov.sk.ca/safety).
2. "Whether or not [uranium] mining is conducted in open pits or underground, there are environmental health hazards and impacts to workers and the general public that need to be considered. These include radiation hazards from radon gas, radium, thorium, and non-radioactive contamination from dust and heavy metals such as arsenic, lead, and nickel"(Health Canada, Environment and workplace health. Canadian Handbook on Health Impact Assessment. Volume 4, Chapter 5.4 Uranium Mining. http://hc-sc.gc.ca/ewh-semt).
3. Radiation is one of the few exposures for which the cause-effect relationship with childhood leukemia has been established (Belson et al. 2007). Children are 20% more sensitive to radioactivity because their cells are actively dividing.
4. Uranium mining creates risks to workers and the community in several ways: through radioactive dust and radon released from exploring, milling, and tailing piles. (Stephens and Ahern 2001. institute for Environment and Development. World Business Council for Sustainable Development)
5. Uranium enters the body by ingestion or inhaling airborne uranium contain dust particles or aerosols. Uranium is absorbed from the intestine or lungs, enters the bloodstream, and is rapidly deposited in the tissues, predominately kidney and bone excreted in the urine. (Taylor and Taylor 1997)
6. "Inhalation of radon and radon progeny [daughter products] lead to radiation exposure of the bronchial tissue of the lung with a resultant risk of cancer" (Health Canada: Environmental and Workplace Health. Exposure Guidelines for Residential Indoor Air Quality Section 4.B.2 Radon). Risks of lung cancer in uranium workers, who have been exposed to higher levels of radon, or to longer periods of low exposure, are 2 to 5 times higher than unexposed workers. (Stephens and Ahern 2001. Institute of Environment and Development. World Business Council for Sustainable Development).
7. "The current Canadian guideline for residential radon levels is two to four times weaker than European and Australian guidelines, more than five times weaker than American guidelines, and more than three times weaker than the World Health Organization recommendation" (www.davidsuzuki.org).
8. Residents living near uranium mining operation have a higher risk of genetic damage than people living further away. (Au et al 1998)."Cradon is the second most significant cause of lung cancer after smoking tobacco, and accounts for approximately 9 to 15 percent of lung cancer deaths" (www.davidsuzuki.org).
9. Miners exposed to uranium are at increased risk of various degrees of genetic damage. . (Stephens and Ahern 2001. Institute of Environment and Development. World Business Council for Sustainable Development).
10. Uranium mining is a federal responsibility, but according to the British Columbia Medical Association to a Royal Commission on Uranium Mining, "the Atomic Energy Control Board is unfit to regulate uranium mining".
There is no safe way to dispose of the radioactive waste that it leaves behind. Let's join together in banning this type of mining in New Brunswick, and eventually in the rest of Canada!
Uranium Mining is dangerous and has harmful effects on the environment and people. Here's what we know for sure:
1. "Exploration crews searching for uranium will receive radiation exposure from uranium and its associated radioactive decay products in the drill core cuttings" (Radiation Protection Guidelines for Uranium Exploration. Saskatchewan Labour Department, Occupational Health and Safety Division: http://www,labour.gov.sk.ca/safety).
2. "Whether or not [uranium] mining is conducted in open pits or underground, there are environmental health hazards and impacts to workers and the general public that need to be considered. These include radiation hazards from radon gas, radium, thorium, and non-radioactive contamination from dust and heavy metals such as arsenic, lead, and nickel"(Health Canada, Environment and workplace health. Canadian Handbook on Health Impact Assessment. Volume 4, Chapter 5.4 Uranium Mining. http://hc-sc.gc.ca/ewh-semt).
3. Radiation is one of the few exposures for which the cause-effect relationship with childhood leukemia has been established (Belson et al. 2007). Children are 20% more sensitive to radioactivity because their cells are actively dividing.
4. Uranium mining creates risks to workers and the community in several ways: through radioactive dust and radon released from exploring, milling, and tailing piles. (Stephens and Ahern 2001. institute for Environment and Development. World Business Council for Sustainable Development)
5. Uranium enters the body by ingestion or inhaling airborne uranium contain dust particles or aerosols. Uranium is absorbed from the intestine or lungs, enters the bloodstream, and is rapidly deposited in the tissues, predominately kidney and bone excreted in the urine. (Taylor and Taylor 1997)
6. "Inhalation of radon and radon progeny [daughter products] lead to radiation exposure of the bronchial tissue of the lung with a resultant risk of cancer" (Health Canada: Environmental and Workplace Health. Exposure Guidelines for Residential Indoor Air Quality Section 4.B.2 Radon). Risks of lung cancer in uranium workers, who have been exposed to higher levels of radon, or to longer periods of low exposure, are 2 to 5 times higher than unexposed workers. (Stephens and Ahern 2001. Institute of Environment and Development. World Business Council for Sustainable Development).
7. "The current Canadian guideline for residential radon levels is two to four times weaker than European and Australian guidelines, more than five times weaker than American guidelines, and more than three times weaker than the World Health Organization recommendation" (www.davidsuzuki.org).
8. Residents living near uranium mining operation have a higher risk of genetic damage than people living further away. (Au et al 1998)."Cradon is the second most significant cause of lung cancer after smoking tobacco, and accounts for approximately 9 to 15 percent of lung cancer deaths" (www.davidsuzuki.org).
9. Miners exposed to uranium are at increased risk of various degrees of genetic damage. . (Stephens and Ahern 2001. Institute of Environment and Development. World Business Council for Sustainable Development).
10. Uranium mining is a federal responsibility, but according to the British Columbia Medical Association to a Royal Commission on Uranium Mining, "the Atomic Energy Control Board is unfit to regulate uranium mining".
There is no safe way to dispose of the radioactive waste that it leaves behind. Let's join together in banning this type of mining in New Brunswick, and eventually in the rest of Canada!
Politicians making the decision to further explore and mine uranium in New Brunswick will not be around when the health effects of their decision is realized.
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7:51 pm PDT, Apr 6,
Garth Shook, Canada
This issue has come up near my childhood home recently as a company called Frontenac Ventures has pushed away local resident and native group's concerns and refusals to allow exploratory drilling. The company has many high-paid lawyers who I'm sure sleep soundly knowing they have sent peaceful people such as Bob Lovelace to jail for standing up against this illegal mining on native lands. I am completely against the continuation of nuclear technology. It is not safe. What will our children say when they find out our generation allowed this to happen? Now is the time to make a difference--we can write to our government officials, we can cut down our power use--in fact I encourage everyone to designate 8pm on the last Saturday of EVERY MONTH as EARTH HOUR. Tell your friends and have a power-free party starting April 26th! Thanks. |
The prospecting in Parkendale has got to stop. The impact on the environment and the surrounding communities (Moncton, Riverview, Salisburry,) is far to great. To add insult to injury the mining is being done by an American company meaning the ore is going to be sold back to Canada after it is refined....this is appalling
Economics over environment? Who will pay for damages to the environment and to the health of those this would supposedly benefit? Do enough damage and nobody will be around to complain. And this is a good thing?
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Please stop uranium mining...it is too dangerous!!!
It's a question of fast or sustainable energy for a constantly growing economy. Are we willing to let industry rape our lands in the name of none renewable energy and evil corporations....eeeh Non! Our children will look up to us as a strong society that banned the "killers" from entering our lands. The intelligent human being has only existed for 5000 years, it shocks me that we would even consider producing a type of energy that leaves behind Radioactice Toxic Tallings which remains active for 20 to 80 thousand years. It's time to show the world that Canadian people want to be the leaders in enviromental economic standards.
I certainly don't wish to have any Uranium Mining done in New Brunswick, much less my own land
I work hard for my money and have worked for over 14 years to save to purchase my property. Don't let someone take this away from me!
..and why is this allowed in NB? Who owns NB? Think big business. Be aware, get everyone you know involved to show that New Brunswickers won't sit idle and watch greedy business and passive government allow the poisoning of our fragile province. You are the government.
I am completely opposed to uranium exploration in southeastern New Brunswick. The potential severe environmental, health and economic consequences of this activity far outweigh any potential benefits to the province and its citizens.
I am 100 percent against Uranium mining in New Brunswick
I can't believe that our government is willing to let this happen, not in such a densly populated area and in such a sensitive area as our water supply to Greater Moncton. Have they not thought of the complete disaster that would occur if something were to go wrong and our drinking water for 130,000 plus people no longer be worthy of not only drinking but for bathing and cooking. Seems crazy the you can't even so much as fish or for that matter even walk in or around these protected areas for fear that someone may pollute the water table but hey a little radon or uranium well thats ok. IDIOTS!! The government and their lobbiests say that people are over reacting to this and trying to create a fear based opposition, well yes I for one am fearful that something may go wrong and is our health and safety not worth having some fear over as it would not be the first time that a large mining company didn't go OPPSSS we made a boo - boo!! What then! This region of the province is finally seeing some real economic upswings over the past 5 or so years and what new company would look to come to this region IF and I say IF something was to happen to our potable water system. Does the government have a back up plan to provide water for an entire region!! They go to such extremes to operate all of our sanitary landfill sites around the province for fear that something could leache into our groundwater table so why in world are they looking for some other way that has the potential to be far more devestating!!! If you would have asked me 6 months ago how I thought this Liberal government and Shawn Graham were doing running this province my answer was clear, impressed and now with two back to back hits from them one being the early french emmersion program going and two uranium mining, well I must say that opinion has changed. (and let us not forget them taking 2 million dollars out of the environmental trust fund which we all HAD to put money into to be dumped into the operating budget for DOE, but there is still the $50 million that they want to take for raises for them). I am now rambling on and getting off topic so I will end on this note, my family and my kids kids are worth far more to me than the money that this extremely dangerous undertaking will bring and correct me if I am wrong but didn't Shawn Graham say that his government wanted to be leaders in Green Energy when he was elected, short memory Shawn. Green on one hand and Black on the other.
As a tax payer of NB, I am opposed to uranium mining. As a citizen of NB, I value the right to drink clean water! I will not vote for a government that supports uranium mining.
NB. is my home province and we do not need the beauty messed up or our friends dieing needlessly. We love our friends and neighbor.
I do not wan't to have any part of this exploriation of uranium in this province .
I fully support business and industry in the creation of employment and career opportunities for young people, but not at the cost of their health and the health of their families.
Frogs have lived on this planet for more than two million years and are now on the list of extinction. When are we going to be part of that list? SSSSSOOOONNNN??? We seem to forget our animal composition.
The quality of life and health is prioriy. The Uranium Activity by large multinational is a real threat for Health of New Brunswickers The corporations cannot play with our lives. The province have to ACT immediately...
I am 100% opposed to Uranium Mining and any exploration!!
On régresse face à l'environnement. Malgré le fait que l'on voit les effets de la pollution sur la calotte polaire, on continue à polluer au détriment d'enrichir encore plus des multinationales qui n'ont qu'à coeur leur profit. On a parlé de la fin de monde de toutes sortes de façon... N'est-on pas en train de la créer en s'autodétruisant par la destruction de tout ce qui nous entoure??? Les dirigeants de ces compagnies auront des tonnes d'argent mais ils n'auront plus la santé pour s'en prévaloir...
Take care of our planet we only have one!!
I have seen what mining companies have done to the land.They promise to leave things as they were,but they lie
Please protect our children, please look at what has happened in Sask. and Port Hope!!!
