(en) Aurora Obreira #25 - The nuclear issue in Brazil: problems that accumulate (pt)

The use of atomic energy in Brazil is not a recent event. Our involvement with this kind 
of process goes back at least to the construction of the first nuclear weapons in America 
(USA). There is a possibility that we have contributed to the construction of the first 
nuclear devices dropped on Japan in 1945. It is speculated that Brazil has provided 
material used in the manufacture of the Atomic Bomb. Arguably the USA technicians were 
collecting and panning in Brazil, mainly in the Northeast in the '40s of the twentieth 
century. The use of radioactive elements, the handling of such minerals - like sands - the 
use of radioactivity in research and treatment of disease is not new in our country today. 
---- During the 1950s he was also in the plans and objectives of state and Government the 
possibility of building nuclear weapons by Brazil.

The design on the screen to what is known now has external resistors and maybe at the same 
time, internal which eventually allegedly "delaying" the construction, or rather saying 
delaying full access to the entire chain of production of nuclear weapons. The principle 
assumes that Brazil currently have integral domain and installed capacity objective of 
making significant number of atomic bombs. This level would also Israel and South Africa 
is not excluded that compete North Korea and Iran Specifically, public domain, meanwhile 
partake of the Iraqi nuclear program, where uranium supply.
exploitation and processing - industrialization - the sands and even other minerals like 
rare earths, thorium, etc.., used in the atom chain, is not innovation in Brazil, although 
everything contingenciado government that virtually centralizes its monopoly, regardless 
of the purpose for which they are intended. Obviously all these procedures and decisions 
were taken without any public consultation. Cynically Governments "democratic" that 
succeeded the military left at least bring the issue to the agenda in discussions of 
collective interests. There has, for example, a "participatory budgeting" where national 
was discussing the need or importance of building atomic submarine or more nuclear plants. 
Here we note that issues that relate solely to Brazilian society, are treated as a matter 
of state absurdly thus omitting the public the real dimension of the decisions taken.
Between Exception (1964/1984) it was almost that fully militarized, under the aegis of 
national security and pseudo peculiar competence of the State. That time is invested in 
thesis in peaceful use of nuclear energy, with the start of construction of two nuclear 
plants - Angra 1, its construction started in 1972 and operating from 01.01.1985 and Angra 
II with its works started in 1976 and entering into commercial operation on 06.21.2000 - 
and a third acquisition, this still works (2013) (It is expected that the unit will start 
generating power in late 2015). In both nuclear agreements either with the United States 
and then to Germany, was predicted greater number of Nuclear Plants which have not yet 
materialized.
called The strategic plan - military - to what is known, rode up some type structures: St. 
Jos? dos Campos after Aramar (Iper? - SP), the "Centre of Aeronautical Technology" project 
that developed rocket and Serra do Cachimbo (Par?) presumptive field tests, aiming to 
nuclear testing and also the construction of admissible atomic submarine . Parallel to 
this is the start uranium prospecting in Minas Gerais - Wells Caldas (1981 to 1995) - in 
order to feed the energy sectors - civil and military - with total self-sufficiency. 
Regarding the nuclear issue remains controversial because of the dark treatment given by 
the different governments, already regarding the atomic submarine is already having an 
annual disbursement of funds of the Union, with a view to ensuring its construction 
(estimate) by 2022.
country where a there are many energy alternatives to be used - water, wind, solar, 
biofuel, etc.. - And even the conventional principle, although already generating 
unacceptable high masses of carbon, such as coal, oil, natural gas and even the burning of 
garbage, wood and bagasse would still be preferable to the uncertainty of the nuclear estate.
Investments made the expense of the public treasury earmarked for Angra 1, 1.8 million - 
may have been 6 billion - dollars - in all its stages of construction. Regarding the Angra 
2 speech in spending between 9 and 10 billion. Angra 3 will theoretically higher capacity 
and lower cost (Figures released in 2012 estimated the "investment" of 10 billion reais). 
As for the lifetime only have uncertainties which are greater still when it comes to what 
we spend on the future of decommissioning. Handled entire chain of radioactive agents is 
totally insecure and difficult to manage. The uranium - yellow cake (uranium concentrate) 
- extracted from our mines - currently Caetit? - BA - offers a number of inconveniences. 
Besides the risks in extracting - threatening the integrity of mining workers and 
permanent possibility of contamination of putting at risk populations bordering the tills. 
Shipping outside Brazil, for conversion into gas, and its consequent return for use in 
Nuclear Plants, represents a continuing risk, may cause serious tragedy in an accident en 
route. The number of sensitive issues that involve the use of radioactive materials is 
increasing. In addition to the aforementioned risk in the extraction and transportation, 
we have the worrisome question of the fate of the waste (radioactive waste). although 
Brazil is already working for decades with radioactivity and its inputs is not yet a final 
repository for waste from plants already in operation , getting into these pools inside 
these. There's "prediction" of having the final repository in operation for the year 2015, 
we managed not only to find yet (March 2013) updated information on the subject and do not 
even know if the place already defined. The materials of weak radioactivity - like 
clothes, masks for disposal, etc.. - Are stored in containers stored in warehouses built 
near the plants and not provided for in the initial drafting of the aforementioned plant 
plants. Technically Nuclear Plant, mines, transportation logistics, waste disposal sites, 
decommissioning should be operating when all necessary measures - possible - security were 
present, which is not the case in Brazil, where everything operates on a provisional basis 
- on an environmental license temporary - from mining to final destination of the waste. 
The bane of Goi?nia - accident with cesium 137 in 1987, with its implications translated 
into deaths, contamination and relevant expenses not served to raise awareness about 
enough to fully invest in nuclear safety in our country. Example is the flagship of the 
Mine Uranium Wells Caldas - (Mining-Industrial Complex Plateau Wells Caldas (CIPC) - 
transformed with its deactivation in deposit tailings, from the mining itself and from the 
factory Nuclemon that worked in Sao Paulo - they proceeded in Nuclemon the extraction of 
heavy minerals using solvents, from monazite sands. Degradation of local mining combined 
with waste from Sao Paulo is currently cause for immense concern of the residents of the 
City of Wells Caldas, in the situation that seeks remedies the federal compensation 
because the subject to vary is sub judice and thus postponed the necessary measures and 
members of the decommissioning process. Not different is the situation of workers 
Nuclemon, fighting in the courts for the right to basic health compromised in years 
working with the Plant Santo Amaro (USAN). Timely noting that apart from the use of 
Nuclear Energy State have done, possibly more than three thousand points in Brazil that 
work with radioactive elements which produce wastewater of varying degrees of 
contamination whose destination is theoretically accompanied by the surveillance. 
"Control" chain atom initially this affection the National Commission of Nuclear Energy - 
federal agency under the Ministry of Science and Technology - which paradoxically manages 
mining and operation of nuclear power plants while oversees everything that concerns the 
matter. The Federal Public Servants working in surveillance generally are doubly hamstrung 
in the free exercise of their profession, or are unable to impound the illegal labor and 
suffer curtailment in its activities, because they are sympathetic to the body that should 
oversee. treadmill this problems only get worse, because the claims repeatedly CNEN not be 
required to comply with the dictates of ANVISA, Health Ministry, IBAMA and supervision of 
the Ministry of Labour, thereby disrespecting both the laws of Brazil as international 
agreements signed by our country objetivariam that guarantee a minimum of security in the 
use of nuclear energy. tragedy in Japan Nuclear Plant - March 2011 - where such reactors 
are dismantled, shy raised debates within Brazilian society although the limitation of 
these plus the selfless struggle of environmentalists, reinforces the need for a debate in 
Brazilian society which unfailingly leads to the withdrawal of state decisions regarding 
the use of nuclear energy for the scope of civil society, making at least everything 
absolutely transparent. Pietro Anarchista Caxias do Sul, March 2013.