Radioactive Waste News & Information
Aquatic Discharges from New Nuclear Reactors Briefing
An assessment of radioactive waste aquatic discharges from the two competing nuclear reactor designs for the new build nuclear power stations has been published by Tim Deere-Jones, a freelance marine pollution consultant. His interpretation was based on the Environment Agency Generic Design Assessment of the Areva UK EPR and Westinghouse Electric Company AP1000 reactors. These radioactive discharges include tritium, Carbon 14, Caesium 137, and Cobalt 60, but information about more dangerous uranium and plutonium isotopes were not included in the Environment Agency assessments.
Most discharges occur through the reactor coolant waters although uncontrolled leaks also have occurred infrequently at all reactors. The assumption by the industry is that tritium is diluted in waters, however there is evidence that it accumulates in sediment and is concentrated through the ecosystem. Concerns are raised in this document about the setting of limits for discharges which appear to be arbitrary, rather than based on scientific evidence for safe limits. Indeed, more research into radioactive discharges and their effects on the environment is needed.
Up-Coming Consultation Events
Two consultation events have been organised for Monday 21st February at the BIS Conference Centre, 1 Victoria Street, London, SW1H 0ET. In the morning there is an event for the revised Funded Decommissioning Programme (FDP) Guidance from 10.00 - 13.00, and in the afternoon there is an event for the updated Waste Transfer Pricing Methodology from 14.00-16.30. For more information and directions to the conference centre please follow this link. Both consultations will close on 8th March 2011 so this is the only opportunity to have a say. If there is demand for an event in Manchester, then they will consider arranging one. To register for the event in London please e-mail:
DECC Publishes Proposals to Ensure Energy Companies Pay for Decommissioning and Radioactive Waste Disposal
Two consultations opened on 7th December 2010 to ensure energy companies pay for the long-term cost of nuclear power. The revised Funded Decommissioning Programme Guidance consultation aims to ensure that plans for decommissioning exist before new nuclear power stations are built, and there is money available to pay for this process. The revised Waste Transfer Pricing Methodology consultation aims to finalise the method of calculating the price of disposal of radioactive waste before liability is transferred to the Government. Both consultations end on 8th March 2011. Whether these proposals are workable will be for anti-nuclear experts to analyse.
£4 Billion Pound Black Hole in Nuclear Power Budget
Energy and Climate Change Secretary Chris Huhne warned the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority's budget deficit will be £850 million for 2011-2012, £950 million for 2012-2013, and £1.1 billion for 2013-2014. The budget for the entire Energy and Climate Change department each year is £3 billion, making this a huge proportion of their annual expenditure. He said it was a "classic example of short-termism", meaning tax-payers had to pay a lot more much later for poor decision making by government. The Liberal Democrats are opposed to new build nuclear power and will abstain in any key Commons votes in the future as part of their coalition agreement.
Guardian Article 1st June 2010
Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) Legislation Published
The Department of Energy and Climate Change have recently published draft legislation for the creation of a new regulatory body for the nuclear power industry called the Office for Nuclear Regulation. One of its roles will be the overview of management of radioactive waste and therefore is of interest to anti-nuclear power campaigners.
Department of Energy and Climate Change Draft Legislation Documents
Government Plans to Store Nuclear Waste On-Sight for 160 Years
The Department of Energy and Climate Change plans to store nuclear waste produced by nuclear power stations at source where it is produced in interim on-site storage facilities before burying it in a deep geological repository, thus deferring the effective management of waste for generations. This policy was criticised by the Chairman of the Parliamentary Energy and Climate Change Committee as "bizarre". This insight into Government policy on radioactive waste management will provide little reassurance to the British people about its competence for handling the problem, and will not persuade them that a new generation of nuclear power stations is a good long-term investment.
Times Online Article 23rd March 2010
Telegraph Article 23rd March 2010
Energy and Climate Change Committee Reports
Chernobyl Fallout Still Affects British Farmers
The meltdown of the Soviet nuclear power plant in Chernobyl on 26th April 1986 led to a radioactive cloud blowing over Europe. A ban was imposed by the British Government on sales of sheep from the Lake District which were contaminated by radioactive fallout. It is estimated that 1% of the radioactivity from the reactor fell on the UK. The ban is still in place and is still controversial, with debate between scientists about what dose of radiation is "safe" to human health.
Guardian Article about Sheep Farmers 29th December 2009
In this article a researcher at Lancaster University Centre for Ecology and Hydrology is interviewed.