THE MALAYSIAN TOWN STILL HAUNTED BY RADIOACTIVE POLLUTION – 30 Years After Rare Earths Refinery Shut

A rare earths processing plant run by Mitsubishi Chemicals in Bukit Merah, Malaysia was blamed for birth defects and leukaemia cases in the local community. The plant, which was shut down in 1994, had no long-term waste facility which resulted in radioactive waste leakage.

Mitsubishi Chemicals spent US$100 million on the clean-up and donated to the local community in an out-of-court settlement. The radioactive contamination took years to clean up.

This CNA Insider video has the story.