Publication Laka-library:
Reality Check. Management of Nuclear Waste. Respons on HoL Report
| Author | FOE, R.Western, P.Green |
| Date | May 1999 |
| Classification | 2.05.4.10/48 (UNITED KINGDOM - WASTE - NIREX/NDA DECOMMISIONING) |
| Front | 
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From the publication:
1. INTRODUCTION The management of radioactive waste presents one of the most difficult environmental problems faced by industrial countries. In 1976, the Royal Commission expressed extreme concern that no proven long term strategy existed to deal with these wastes. Following their report the disposal agency Nirex was set up in 1982 and pursued plans to bury the wastes deep underground in a repository. These plans were vehemently opposed by Friends of the Earth, who argued that they were scientifically unfounded and could not be proved to be safe. In 1997, Friends of the Earth were vindicated by the findings of RCF Public Inquiry. In 1998, the House of Lords Select Committee on Science and Technology carried out an enquiry to consider the implications of the Nirex Inquiry result for Government policy. FOE's evidence to the House of Lords stated that it considered the defeat of Nirex to represent a thorough discrediting of the deep disposal concept as an acceptable and sustainable method for the management of radioactive wastes. In Friends of the Earth's view, deep disposal remains a concept which can only be considered compatible with sustainable development if the actual practical, scientific and technical realities are ignored. Further, Friends of the Earth's submission expressed significant concern that some commentators did not appear to be aware of this essential point of scientific and technical reality and mistakenly believed that the disposal programme could be relaunched. Friends of the Earth submission stated unequivocally, that it was imperative that Government leamed from the failures of Nirex. The issue is not simply a question of ''persuading the public" to take potentially unpopular action. For Friends of the Earth, the question is when will industry and Government face up to the scientific and technical realities which prevent implementation of deep disposal. Any attempt to persuade the public otherwise, will inevitabaly end up with a litany of failure. Regretably, the Lords were unable to conceptually accept the failings of the deep disposal concept. The Lords did not scrunitise the Inquiry Inspectors findings and instead reiterated the cursory viewpoint that geological disposal is the only realistic policy. The Lords put forward a programme of immediate action beginning with immediate Government endorsement of the disposal option. In Friends of the Earth's view, the Lords advocation of a relaunch of the deep disposal programme is fundamentally flawed and can only lead to a costly repeat of Nirex 's failure. What is needed is a fundamental review of the question of whether disposal is achievable. We cannot base action on such an important area on ignorance and wishful thinking. A major recommendation of Lords report was that separated plutonium should be reclassified as waste. This is to be welcomed. The recommendation raises important questions about the continuation of plutonium separation (reprocessing) at Sellafield which must be urgently addressed.
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