Following is info from the Necsa website.

Take a look at the bottom photos to see how they have disposed of nuclear waste – burying drums of radioactive waste over 1000 hectares of land between Namaqualand and Bushmanland (at Vaalputs). If they push a nuclear programme through parliament as they plan to do, this waste area will increase.

They state: “Necsa falls within the North West Province of South Africa that is very close to the Cradle of Humankind. The area is a wonderful site for tourists with the Hartbeespoort Dam, Sterkfontein Caves and many other interesting sites and entertainment close by”. Do tourists know Necsa is close by?

They also say: “All surface stored radioactive waste at Pelindaba is at … the Pelstore, situated in the disused enrichment plant building”. How long has this surface waste remained in a “disused” building?

Divisions of Necsa include Pelchem and Peldev. You can see the kind of chemicals they have pumped into the environment to the extent that: “56 facilities have been identified for decommissioning…to minimise the state’s liabilities with regard to potential safety hazards that the facilities constitute to personnel, the public and the environment. The majority of these sites formed part of the former AEC’s nuclear fuel activities and have all been shut down permanently”. So these nuclear sites were identified as hazardous enough to the public to be shut down, but now they want to start the process again?

They also say that evaporation pans were constructed during the late 1970’s and early 1980’s, for effluent generated at Pelindaba. The effluent contained chemical salts in excess of limit for disposal to the Crocodile River. So because the chemicals were too toxic for the river – they were evaporated into the atmosphere. What is really the difference? Take a look at the attachment on Hydrogen Fluoride (also from the Necsa website) to see how highly toxic this chemical is.

One of the pans was set aside for the evaporation of uranium-contaminated effluent from the uranium conversion plant. This was when they were under licence to NNR and DWAF. It seems that Necsa believes if they bury waste in the earth or evaporate it into the air, it just goes away – out of sight, out of mind?

Are employees working for Necsa, Pelchem or Peldev informed beforehand of potential risks to their health? Are they paid out or compensated for work-related illnesses? Necsa is currently refusing to acknowledge sick workers from their nuclear site. The government wants to fast-track nuclear industries through legislation, but is there legislation to protect employees and neighbouring communities that may be poisoned by chemical spills?

Regards
Ingela

PELCHEM
Pelchem is 30km west of Pretoria and 55km north west of Joburg.
Pelchem, the chemical division of Necsa sells customers chemical products, including inorganic and organic fluorochemicals. Pelchem was formally established in 1999 to commercialise the technologies and products based on HF (hydrogen fluoride) and F2 (fluorine). HF has been produced commercially at Necsa from locally mined fluorspar (CaF2) since 1984. Fluorine is produced on-site at several plants. Pelchem has a joint venture with Fluoropack, a company modifying the surface of Polymers by fluorination for the automotive and agrochemical industries.

PELDEV
PELDEV, the Fluorochemical Technology Division of Necsa is focused on developing new products and processes for the global fluorochemical industry. We manufacture a range of speciality inorganic and organic fluoride gases and liquids.

Waste comes from:
• Closed down plants & buildings
• Sludge in pans
• Site contamination
• Waste and effluent produced by operational facilities
• Spent sources and spent fuel
• Medical and industrial waste

A total of 56 facilities have been identified for decommissioning. This needs to be done in order to minimise the state’s liabilities with regard to potential safety hazards that the facilities constitute to personnel, the public and the environment. The majority of these sites formed part of the former AEC’s nuclear fuel activities and have all been shut down permanently.
Decommissioning work is ongoing and is funded by government through annual budget appropriations as well as special allocations from the

Department of Minerals and Energy. .
The following facilities have been partially/fully decommissioned at Pelindaba: Enrichment plants: Z-plant (Areas 14, 26) and Y-plant (Buildings C, D and E) Auxiliary facilities: J-building, XB building.

DECOMMISSIONING OF Z-PLANT
Equipment on the Z-Plant was used for the production of enriched uranium. Decommissioning was carried out during 1996 -1999.

Sludge in pans
Evaporation pans with a total evaporation area of ±75000 m2 were constructed during the late 1970’s and early 1980’s, for evaporation of effluent generated at Pelindaba. The effluent contained chemical salts in excess of the allowable limit for disposal to the Crocodile River.

One of the pans was set aside for the evaporation of uranium-contaminated effluent from the uranium conversion plant.
The pans were operated under a permit granted by the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry as well as a licence by the National Nuclear Regulator, at the time.

The use of the pans for the evaporation of effluent is being phased out and decommissioning and rehabilitation of the area are now being investigated.

With the implementation of an effluent minimisation plan during the late 1990’s as well as the closure of most of the uranium process plants, the use of evaporation pans for effluent disposal is no longer required. (But they want to start mining uranium again.)
A number of different options for the decommissioning and treatment/disposal are being investigated. Once a decision has been made on the appropriate option, the process of acquiring the necessary approvals from the authorities and the public will commence.

Disposal
VAALPUTS – 1 000 hectares of nuclear waste

In 1978, a programme was launched to select a suitable site for the disposal of nuclear waste. Further detailed studies showed that a locality some 100km south east of Springbok (600 km north of Cape Town) was ideally suited for the disposal of low- and intermediate-level wastes. The initial stage of investigations culminated in 1983 when three farms, which now constitute the Vaalputs Radioactive Waste Disposal Facility, were acquired by the State on behalf of the NECSA, which will be responsible for its management. The first low- and intermediate-level waste was scheduled for delivery in October 1986.

Vaalputs covers an area of about 10 000 ha, measuring 16,5 km from east to west and 6,5 km from north to south at its narrowest point. Approximately 500 – 1 000 ha is occupied by sites for low- and intermediate-level waste, an interim spent fuel storage facility, housing, roads, power lines and the airstrip.

Vaalputs straddles the escarpment between Namaqualand in the west and Bushmanland in the east and has a mean elevation above sea level of about 1 000 m. Namaqualand is characterised by a rugged granitic terrain with a well-developed drainage system towards the west. Bushmanland on the other hand, is extremely flat lying, often with ill-defined drainage systems and characterised by gently undulating consolidated sand dunes.

Broadly speaking, Namaqualand falls within the winter rainfall area, which has a characteristic succulent type of vegetation, while Bushmanland falls within the summer rainfall area, with its own distinct flora of woody shrubs and grass. Vaalputs therefore falls within the transition zone between winter and summer rainfall and exhibits characteristics of both regimes.

The climate is harsh and in summer temperatures often exceed 40 C, while in winter freezing conditions and winds with a high chill factor are often experienced. Rainfall is bimodal, with an annual average of about 74 mm, mainly in the form of thunderstorms. Mist is prevalent in the winter months. Years may go by without good rains falling.

Sheep farming is the only agricultural activity of any significance in the area. The carrying capacity is extremely low and one sheep per 9 ha is the generally accepted norm. The population density within a radius of 50 km around the site is extremely low and is most certainly less than one person per square kilometre.

Contact Information
Telephone: +27 712-2882
E-mail: vaalputs@iafrica.com

Pelindaba Communication Forum

The Pelindaba Communication Forum (PCF) was started in 1997 due to the need for Necsa to communicate with its neighbors and the general public surrounding the company and vice versa.
The PCF is an open forum (supposed to be but Necsa refuses to provide them with information unless they get it “legally”) and anyone from the public may attend the meetings. During the meetings Necsa gives feedback on different issues such as safety, new developments and other issues that might interest the public. The public may also ask questions and bring any problems to the fore.
Other organizations that attend the meeting include the National Nuclear Regulator (NNR), Department of Minerals and Energy (DME), Department of Water and Forestry (DWAF) and more.

Vaalputs Public Safety Information Forum
- 14 March 2007
- 06 June 2007
- TBC 01 August 2007
- TBC 07 November 2007
Necsa surroundings