Skip Navigation | HOME | UK Indymedia | Editorial Guidelines | Mission Statement | About Us | Contact | Help | Support Us

manchester Indymedia

Wednesday is International Radioactive Waste Action Day

marianne Birkby | 28.09.2010 12:54 | Analysis | Climate Chaos | Energy Crisis | World

The date was chosen to commemorate the worst known radioactive waste disaster -- a reprocessing storage tank explosion, following loss of cooling water, in the Ural Mountains of Siberia on Sept. 29, 1957 . An entire region contaminated, hundreds immediately killed and the poisoning and death of many more since, due to the lingering radioactive contamination of a vast area of the environment.

Cooling the High Level Wastes
Cooling the High Level Wastes


Cumbrian group Radiation Free Lakeland have sent a message to Lakeland Leaders including Cumbria County Council, The Bishop of Carlisle, Cumbria Tourism and LDNPA asking that they take two actions to ensure Cumbria has a viable future. The attached Map, "A Pictorial View of the Lakes Nuclear
Sacrifice Zone?" will be hand delivered to the Leaders on 29th Sept.

Action 1 - Stop Radioactive Wastes going into Landfill
Action 2 - Oppose the Geological Disposal of High Level Nuclear Wastes

Cumbria County Council and nuclear industry representatives are discussing how they can best accommodate the new deregulation of the nuclear industry which now allows nuclear waste into landfill. Lillyhall landfill in West Cumbria is already recieving nuclear waste from Chapel Cross nuclear plant in Scotland. The Cumbrian landfill operator has applied to take even higher level wastes. Keekle Head a former mine, quarry and near the source of the important River Keekle is earmarked to take similar dangerous wastes to those that are currently stored at Drigg.

A spokesperson for Radiation Free Lakeland said "instead of looking at how best to accommodate the new law which allows "exempt" nuclear waste into landfill - our leaders should be insisting that Chris Huhne reverses this law which runs counter to health and the environment. The nuclear industry is being dangerously deregulated."

Nuke Landfill – Unexpected Doses Possible

This Summer the Government reported that even if radioactive wastes were
legally dumped in landfill, people still may be contaminated in ways that
hadn’t been thought of. This means that any claims that the future doses from Nuke Landfill have been carefully calculated – simply cannot be trusted.
Guidance (page 14) para 2.32 Draft Guidance on Exemptions Framework under the Radioactive Substances Act 1993 (Schedule 23 to the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2011) 11th August 2010

If the dose from lower level radioactive wastes dumped in landfill cannot be trusted the resulting contamination from geological disposal of high level wastes could result in Cumbria's permanent blight.

These two actions to :
Stop the dumping of nuclear waste in landfill and
Oppose geological disposal of high level wastes-
would ensure that Cumbria has the chance of a viable future.
All the compensation in the world is not enough .........


---------------------------- Original Message ----------------------------
Subject: Sept 29th - Cumbria Radioactive Waste Action Day
From:  wildart@mariannebirkby.plus.com
Date: Mon, September 27, 2010 12:00 pm
To:  istephens@cumbriatourism.org
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

RAdiation Free Lakeland

Mr Ian Stephens
Cumbria Tourism
Windermere Road
Staveley
Kendal
Cumbria
LA8 9PL 27th Sept 2010



Dear Mr Stephens,

Sept. 29th is International Radioactive Waste Action Day!

Radiation Free Lakeland are supporting this initiative and we are writing to you as the chief executive of Cumbria Tourism to ask if you would consider taking two actions to ensure Cumbria has a viable future. We are also writing to Cumbria County Council, The Lake District National Park Authority and the Bishop of Carlisle to urge them to support International Radioactive Waste Action Day.

Action 1 - Stop Radioactive Waste going to Landfill

Lillyhall, near Workington is receiving radioactive asbestos from Scotland, bagged up in skip lorries. The existing planning consents for Lillyhall are specific to composting and "inert" material processing. There were no objections at the time of the original consent for the landfill but there was no mention of radioactive asbestos being tumble tipped into same landfill that sells compost. Radioactive waste in large volumes is going into Cumbrian landfill today because of the (quietly
introduced) deregulation of radioactive wastes. Lillyhall is "the first." Other landfill sites in Cumbria will follow unless this deregulation 'exempt' law, which runs counter to the protection of human health and the environment, is scrapped.

Please Write to Secretary of State Chris Huhne to urge immediate reversal of the 2007 ‘law’, which reclassifies radioactive wastes, allowing them out of sight out of mind and into landfill. (briefing document sent via email)

Action 2 – Oppose Geological Disposal of High Level Nuclear Waste

The 'Partnership' process is aimed solely at steering 'volunteer' communities into the acceptance of deep disposal of high-level nuclear wastes. The safer option of above ground and retrievable waste management is not even on the agenda. If the 'volunteer' process fails then the government "will look at other options" to force 'disposal', [DECC – New Build RadWaste Summary (Nov ’09) – para 106 page 23] We take this to mean forcing an underground high level nuclear dump (or more than one dump) on communities. The ‘geological disposal’ plan is looking to include New Build wastes, and the Department of Energy and Climate Change is keen to give the appearance of having 'solved the problem of nuclear waste 'in
order to go ahead with new build. In March of this year Nuclear Waste Advisory Associates identified over 100 problems with disposal, and a report published this month by Dr Helen Wallace, for Greenpeace International confirms that deep disposal of radioactive wastes has the “potential for significant radiological releases through a variety of mechanisms”.

The media and others are describing Cumbria as having “volunteered” as host for a deep disposal site. This is disingenuous, Cumbria County Councillors were denied a vote, with the decision being taken by less than 5 people in the Cabinet. In November Allerdale Councillors will be discussing a proposal to withdraw their “expression of interest” In geological disposal.

Dr Rachel Western an expert in the chemistry of nuclear wastes has said:

“Given the possible implications of the project for the Cumbrian economy and the well-being of Cumbrians it is imperative that Allerdale ensures that is not shepherded into a nuclear waste burial scheme that results in the area becoming permanently blighted".

Radiation Free Lakeland has formally registered a firm commitment to an expression of opposition to geological disposal of nuclear wastes, to ensure a viable future for Cumbria.

Please write to Secretary of State, Chris Huhne with Cumbria Tourism’s opposition to the geological disposal of nuclear wastes. Deep disposal of radioactive waste is not the best way to protect Cumbria from the dangers that these wastes present. ( “Rock Solid” report by
Dr Helen Wallace sent via email)


Radiation Free Lakeland




more info


Actions are taking place worldwide

INTERNATIONAL RADIOACTIVE WASTE ACTION DAY

Radioactive Waste: STOP MAKING IT * DON’T REPROCESS IT *
DON’T DUMP IT ON ANYONE * HARDEN ON-SITE-STORAGE TO MAKE
IT SAFER AND MORE SECURE WHERE IT IS *
STOP TARGETING NATIVE, PERMANENT PEOPLE, ABORIGINAL LAND!!!


International Radioactive Waste Action Day
 http://www.beyondnuclear.org/radioactive-waste-whatsnew/2010/9/2/sept-29th-is-international-radioactive-waste-action-day.html

marianne Birkby
- e-mail: rafl@mariannebirkby.plus.com
- Homepage: http://web.mac.com/mariannebirkby1/iWeb/Radiation%20Free%20Lakeland/Radiation%20Free%20Lakeland.html

Download this article in pdf format >>

Email this article to someone >>

Submit an addition or make a quick comment on this article >>

Publish

Publish your news

Do you need help with publishing?

Kollektives

Birmingham
Cambridge
Liverpool
London
Oxford
Sheffield
South Coast
Wales
World

Other UK IMCs
Bristol/South West
London
Northern Indymedia
Scotland

Manchester Topics

Analysis
Animal Liberation
Anti-militarism
Anti-racism
Bio-technology
Climate Chaos
Culture
Ecology
Education
Energy Crisis
Free Spaces
Gender
Globalisation
Health
History
Indymedia
Iraq
Migration
Ocean Defence
Other Press
Palestine
Public sector cuts
Repression
Social Struggles
Technology
Terror War
Workers' Movements
Zapatista

Manchester Actions 2010

Flotilla to Gaza
Mayday 2010
Tar Sands

Manchester Actions 2009

COP15 Climate Summit 2009
G20 London Summit
Guantánamo
Indymedia Server Seizure
University Occupations for Gaza

Manchester Actions 2008

2008 Days Of Action For Autonomous Spaces
Campaign against Carmel-Agrexco
Climate Camp 2008
G8 Japan 2008
SHAC
Smash EDO
Stop Sequani Animal Testing
Stop the BNP's Red White and Blue festival

Manchester Actions 2007

Climate Camp 2007
DSEi 2007
G8 Germany 2007
Mayday 2007
No Border Camp 2007

Manchester Actions 2006

April 2006 No Borders Days of Action
Art and Activism Caravan 2006
Climate Camp 2006
Faslane
French CPE uprising 2006
G8 Russia 2006
Lebanon War 2006
March 18 Anti War Protest
Mayday 2006
Oaxaca Uprising
Refugee Week 2006
Rossport Solidarity
SOCPA
Transnational Day of Action Against Migration Controls
WSF 2006

Manchester Actions 2005

DSEi 2005
G8 2005
WTO Hong Kong 2005

Manchester Actions 2004

European Social Forum
FBI Server Seizure
May Day 2004
Venezuela

Manchester Actions 2003

Bush 2003
DSEi 2003
Evian G8
May Day 2003
No War F15
Saloniki Prisoner Support
Thessaloniki EU
WSIS 2003

Languages

english

IMCs


www.indymedia.org

Projects
print
radio
satellite tv
video

Africa

Europe
antwerpen
armenia
athens
austria
barcelona
belarus
belgium
belgrade
brussels
bulgaria
calabria
croatia
cyprus
emilia-romagna
estrecho / madiaq
galiza
germany
grenoble
hungary
ireland
istanbul
italy
la plana
liege
liguria
lille
linksunten
lombardia
madrid
malta
marseille
nantes
napoli
netherlands
northern england
nottingham imc
paris/île-de-france
patras
piemonte
poland
portugal
roma
romania
russia
sardegna
scotland
sverige
switzerland
torun
toscana
ukraine
united kingdom
valencia

Latin America
argentina
bolivia
chiapas
chile
chile sur
cmi brasil
cmi sucre
colombia
ecuador
mexico
peru
puerto rico
qollasuyu
rosario
santiago
tijuana
uruguay
valparaiso
venezuela

Oceania
aotearoa
brisbane
burma
darwin
jakarta
manila
melbourne
perth
qc
sydney

South Asia
india


United States
arizona
arkansas
asheville
atlanta
Austin
binghamton
boston
buffalo
chicago
cleveland
colorado
columbus
dc
hawaii
houston
hudson mohawk
kansas city
la
madison
maine
miami
michigan
milwaukee
minneapolis/st. paul
new hampshire
new jersey
new mexico
new orleans
north carolina
north texas
nyc
oklahoma
philadelphia
pittsburgh
portland
richmond
rochester
rogue valley
saint louis
san diego
san francisco
san francisco bay area
santa barbara
santa cruz, ca
sarasota
seattle
tampa bay
united states
urbana-champaign
vermont
western mass
worcester

West Asia
Armenia
Beirut
Israel
Palestine

Topics
biotech

Process
fbi/legal updates
mailing lists
process & imc docs
tech