Bring Forward Nuclear Plant's Closure, Say Greens
Tue., August 26, 2003. 00:00.
Green MSPs today called on British Nuclear Fuels Ltd (BNFL) to bring forward the closure of the Thorp nuclear reprocessing plant at Sellafield, which they say is polluting Scotland's shores.
Today's reports that the reprocessing part of the plant would close in 2010 were welcome but any plans for its closure should be brought forward, said Green MSP Chris Ballance.
Green MSPs today called on British Nuclear Fuels Ltd (BNFL) to bring forward the closure of the Thorp nuclear reprocessing plant at Sellafield, which they say is polluting Scotland's shores.
Today's reports that the reprocessing part of the plant would close in 2010 were welcome but any plans for its closure should be brought forward, said Green MSP Chris Ballance.
'We told BNFL 20 years ago that this plant was a dangerous mistake,' said Mr Ballance, a veteran anti-nuclear campaigner. 'It is just a shame that so much money has been wasted in that time - money which could better have been spent on schools and hospitals.
'Reprocessing at Sellafield does not just pollute England - it pollutes the Solway Firth and beyond. Traces of the radioactive metal technetium-90 from Sellafield been found in farmed salmon further up the west coast of Scotland.
'The southern coasts of the region are on a direct tidal current from Sellafield. Sellafield has dumped a quarter of a tonne of plutonium - the most deadly metal on earth - into the sea.
'The permissible emissions rate has not changed for decades, although there is good evidence that it was set too high. Emissions are still below the permissible level, but they are too high already, and rising each year.
'The closure of this plant is already long overdue, and should be brought forward.'
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, contact Jill Boulton at the Green MSPs' press office
on 0131 348 6360 / 07919 210 126.
Contact the Scottish Greens' press team on 07909 933 074.