Malaysia renews Lynas Rare Earths license, orders end to radioactive waste by 2031
The operating license now hard-sets waste-handling limits: radioactive waste generated in the next five years must be treated and neutralized, and no new permanent disposal facility is permitted. Continued operation is conditioned on meeting these requirements, with a five-year review and revocation for violations.
Change
Malaysia ordered Lynas Rare Earths to stop producing radioactive waste by 2031 and renewed its operating license through March 3, 2036 with a five-year review and revocation power for breaches.
Why it matters
Lynas must scale industrial thorium-extraction or equivalent neutralization processes to treat any radioactive material generated during the next five years because the company is barred from creating new permanent disposal sites. Failure to meet treatment or neutralization requirements by the five-year review creates grounds for license revocation or other enforcement actions.
Implications
- — Lynas Rare Earths' plant operations and environmental compliance teams must treat and neutralize all radioactive waste produced within the next five years using thorium-extraction or equivalent methods or risk revocation of the operating license.
- — Lynas Rare Earths' procurement and engineering teams must secure and deploy industrial-scale thorium-extraction or alternative neutralization technology and complete required retrofits within five years, or production that generates radioactive waste will be prohibited after 2031.
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