Technoscientific reports, nuclearity and uranium production in Caetité/BA as a public issue

Abstract

Uranium mining in Brazil has raised numerous questions from diverse actors in civil society, social movements and public authorities. This article aims to describe how uranium production becomes a public issue based on technoscientific reports produced by institutions and research groups interested in presenting a diagnosis of the situation surrounding the mine in Caetité, Bahia, Brazil. After outlining the reports, we describe the emergence of a demand for monitoring and greater transparency as a way of regulating uranium production in the region, especially linked to the health of residents and workers and the contamination of the environment and water bodies. The role of scientists expands the articulation of strategies developed by local and non-local social movements concerned with nuclear problems to make the consequences of nuclear energy and its production chain a public issue.