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SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- Republican congressional candidate Bill Dew said during a televised debate that he doesn't have a problem with a Utah-based company importing nuclear waste from Italy because of plans to recycle it and sell most of it to Japan.
In fact, all the radioactive waste remaining after processing would be disposed of in Utah.
EnergySolutions Inc. wants to import up to 20,000 tons of low-level radioactive waste from Italy. After processing in Tennessee, about 1,600 tons of waste would be disposed of in Utah.
The waste would primarily consist of contaminated metals, wood, paper, plastic, liquids and ion-exchange resins, according to the company's application.
EnergySolutions spokesman Mark Walker says the metal portions of the waste could be melted and decontaminated for sale to Japan, though it's unclear how much metal would be in the waste and resold.
Dew, running for the 2nd Congressional District seat, made the comments during a debate with Democratic Rep. Jim Matheson on KSL-TV on Tuesday.
To see the debate, click the related link to the right of the story.
(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
