N-Base Briefing 261

N-Base Briefing 261 - 13th January 2001

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News in Brief

Technetium protests

Ireland and the Nordic countries have continued their protests at discharges of technetium-99 from the Sellafield complex and the Environment Agency's decision to delay a planned reduction from 90TBq to 10TBq until 2006. The deputy director for the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland, John Cunningham, said: "We consider technetium discharges as unnecessary and they should be stopped". Public enterprise minister of state Joe Jacob also criticised the delay in reducing discharges. The Norwegian environment minister, Siri Bjerke, pledged to work with other countries to try and reduce technetium-99 discharges: "We can work for other and better ways to handle the waste."

Decision delayed

The Highland Council and Scotland Against Nuclear Dumping have both criticised the delay in a government decision on the public consultation on how to treat 25-tonnes of plutonium fuel at Dounreay. A decision had been expected last summer. Highland convener David Green asked why there was such a rush in the consultation period when they were still waiting for a decision. SAND spokesman Lorraine Mann said she though a decision may be being delayed until after a general election.

Radon warning

One in seven private water wells in Devon were found to have high levels of radioactive radon in an 18-month government study.

New plans

British Nuclear Fuels last week submitted a new business plan for its plutonium Mox fuel SMP plant to the UK Government. The company has to prove the economic case for the plant before the government can approve the plant starting work. BNFL claims new 'customer commitment' although it refused to say whether this mean new contracts, claiming this information was commercially confidential.

Bradwell sabotage

New tougher security checks on staff are being introduced at all the UK's nuclear power stations following a security scare in 1999. Details of the June 1999 scare have been revealed in the Guardian newspaper. A security guard at the Bradwell reactor in south-east England hacked into the site's computer system and triggered an alert that an intruder was in the complex.

Waste shipment protests

The Pacific Swan, carrying high-level vitrified reprocessing wastes from France to Japan, is due to round Cape Horn this weekend. The shipment has been criticised by Chile, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Brazil and Uruguay while in Argentina a court has ordered the government to ensure the vessel does not enter its waters although the Foreign Ministry said the vessel was allowed to come within 12 miles of the coast under international shipping agreements.

Another shipment

Two shipments of plutonium Mox fuel are expected to leave France for Japan next week onboard the Pacific Teal and Pacific Pintail.

Depleted uranium controversy continues

The international controversy over the use of shells containing depleted uranium has continued with a number of countries expressing concerns over the health of their soldiers taking part in the Gulf War and Bosnian and Kosovo conflicts. In the UK the Ministry of Defence has bowed to pressure and offered voluntary health checks for troops who served in the Balkans - a decision which annoyed Gulf War veterans who have been excluded from the checks. The Royal Navy announced it was stopping the use of depleted uranium shells on its vessels - a decision forced upon it when the American manufacturer said it was ceasing production in favour of more expensive alternatives. However the UK Government has insisted it will keep depleted uranium as part of its armoury while ordering new trials at the Dundrennan testing range on the Solway Firth near Kirkcudbright - another decision which has increased existing concerns among local residents. Highland councillors are to seek re-assurances that depleted uranium shells have not been used at firing ranges in their area. The Nuclear Free Local authorities have called upon all the UK's depleted uranium to be declared a radioactive waste and securely stored pending final disposal. "In different circumstances, from civil aircraft accidents, munitions factory fires, to weapon testing on open ranges, depleted uranium contamination has raised serious concerns about health implications", the NFLA said.