Archived press release

Secret n-waste dump sites revealed

10 June 2005

537 locations throughout Britain, once identified as potential sites for disposing of the UK's radioactive waste have 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 [1]. The list was forced into the public domain as a result of the Freedom of Information Act.

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 radioactive waste-generating 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" [2].

Friends of the Earth's director, 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. [3]

"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".

The 12 short-listed sites were:

• Dounreay, Caithness, Scotland
• Altnabreac, Caithness, Scotland
• Fuday, Western Isles, Scotland
• Sandray, Western Isles, Scotland
• Offshore - West (serviced by Hunterston Port)
• Bradwell, Essex
• Potton Island, Essex
• Killingholme, South Humberside
• Offshore - East (serviced by Redcar Port)
• Sellafield, Cumbria (two locations)
• Stanford, Norfolk

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

Notes

[1] 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.htm

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/z477002/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.

[2] 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

[3] 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

If you're a journalist looking for press information please contact the Friends of the Earth media team on 020 7566 1649.

Published by Friends of the Earth Trust