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Secret welsh nuclear waste dump sites revealed

Nineteen sites in Wales [1] are listed among the 537 locations in Britain that were once identified as potential sites for disposing of the UK's radioactive waste. The list of the sites has been published today (Friday 10 June) after 15 years of secrecy. The highly sensitive list has been made public for the very first time by the nuclear waste agency, Nirex [2], as a result of the Freedom of Information Act.

Among the sites that were listed in Wales are some of the most important wildlife and environmental locations in the country. These include the Pembrokeshire islands of Skokholm, Skomer and Ramsey and Newborough Forest in Anglesey.

Friends of the Earth Cymru spokesperson, Gordon James, said:

"It is difficult to believe that anyone could have even suggested placing spectacular wildlife treasures such as Skokholm and Skomer on a list of sites suitable for burying nuclear waste. Even Homer Simpson would probably have more sense than to contemplate such a thing."

Also among the list of sites in Wales is the former arms depot at Trecwn in north Pembrokeshire. This was, for a number of years, a focus for a strong anti-nuclear campaign as a result of new owners offering the site as a nuclear waste store in 1998.

Gordon James continued:

"The experience at Trecwn showed the massive amount of public opposition that such proposals generate. People do not want this toxic material stored anywhere near their communities. It is the success of site battles such as Trecwn that forced the government to introduce a new decision making process on nuclear waste policy in 2001".[4]

Friends of the Earth welcomed the list's publication but hit out over the years of secrecy surrounding the locations and called on the Government to finally rule out any new nuclear power stations. The group also warned that many of the 537 sites identified might be considered in future searches for disposal sites. Nirex says that the sites in its list "will not form the starting point of any new site selection exercise", but admits that "the geology in the UK has not changed, so sites that were considered suitable previously on geological grounds could be considered suitable in a future site selection process" [4].

Friends of the Earth's director for England, Wales and Northern Ireland, Tony Juniper said:

"It is an absolute disgrace that the location of these sites has been kept from the public for so long. "Despite what Ministers might say, Nirex has made it quite clear that each of the sites considered geologically suitable in the past could be considered suitable in the future. Every community named on this list should take steps to help halt plans to expand nuclear power in the UK. The best way to begin dealing with the UK's nuclear waste legacy starts with halting the production of any more. [4]

"We support moves for the safe long-term management of our existing radioactive waste. But the UK's energy future must lie in energy efficiency, the production of safe, renewable energy and the cleaner use of fossil fuels, not in trying to breathe new life into the discredited, dangerous and expensive disaster of nuclear power".

For a full list of all 537 sites see: www.nirex.co.uk/477002/index5.html

A Friends of the Earth press release and briefing on nuclear power and climate change can be found at: Nuclear power is not the solution

Notes

[1] The sites listed in Wales were: " Aberporth near Cardigan " Newborough Forest and Wylfa on Anglesey " Castlemartin, Skokholm Island, Skomer Island, Ramsey Island, St Davids (RAF), and Trecwn in Pembrokeshire " Pembrey and Pendine in Carmarthenshire " Caerwent in Gwent " Bardsey Island, Holyhead and Trawsfynydd in Gwynedd " Crickhowell and Sennybridge in Powys " St Athans and Flatholm in the Vale of Glamorgan

[2] Nirex (Nuclear Industry Radioactive Waste Executive) was established in 1982. Earlier this year the Government gave Nirex independence from the nuclear industry. See: www.nirex.co.uk/index/iold_list.html

For a full list of all 537 sites see: www.nirex.co.uk/477002/index5.html

For a regional list or post code search of all 537 sites see: www.nirex.co.uk/477002/index7.html. According to Nirex, there are over 92,000 cubic metres of high, medium and low-level waste in storage at 34 locations around the UK. This is set to rise in volume five times over the next hundred years, even assuming no new nuclear power stations are built.

[3] Nirex briefing: "the geology in the UK has not changed, so sites that were considered to be potentially suitable previously on geological grounds could be considered suitable in a future site selection process. Equally, given the developments that have occurred, sites where the geology was viewed as less favourable previously could be included in the new site selection process. In short, the look of any future list cannot be predicted at this stage and no sites can be ruled in or out at this point." www.nirex.co.uk/477002/index5.html

[4] The Committee on Radioactive Waste Management (CORWM) is currently consulting on plans for the long-term management of radioactive waste. Friends of the Earth is currently encouraging the public to participate in the consultation. See: www.foe-scotland.org.uk/cyberaction/cyberaction_200503.html