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Nuclear accident fears exposed by whistleblower at UK's Sellafield nuclear plant
Samuel Osborne | Monday, 5 September 2016
Samuel Osborne | Monday, 5 September 2016
- Liquid containing plutonium and uranium has been stored in thousands of plastic bottles for years
- Whistleblower claims a fire there could release a radioactive cloud that would devastate Western Europe
- Clean-up cost of the site said to be around £162 billion
Lethal legacy... an aerial shot of nuclear waste at abandoned pond in Sellafield
Radioactive plutonium and uranium have been stored in degrading plastic bottles at the Sellafield site in Cumbria, a Panorama investigation found.
Concerns were raised by a whistleblower who said he dreads that there will be a fire at the plant releasing a huge radioactive cloud which could contaminate much of western Europe.
The former senior manager also revealed that deadly radioactive plutonium and uranium are have stored in plastic bottles for years and they are now deteriorating.
The former senior manager also revealed that deadly radioactive plutonium and uranium are have stored in plastic bottles for years and they are now deteriorating.
Plastic tanks inside the abandoned cooling pond are open to the elements
The whistleblower also said that Sellafield often did not have enough people on duty to meet minimum safety levels.
If there was even a small leak of radioactive material Ireland’s tourism industry could be wiped out in an instant and the country’s massive food exports destroyed.
Sellafield management has denied that there is any danger but pictures obtained by the Mirror show a facility which is falling asunder.
The photos were leaked by a concerned worker who wanted the world to know that parts of the plant - nearly 70 years old - are disintegrating.
Alarm bells... Corroded pipes at Sellafield Nuclear Plant
“While Sellafield may no longer generate energy it is a major nuclear installation with huge amounts of nuclear materials stored on site.
“The BBC report revealed that between July 2012 and July 2013 there were 97 incidents where there too few workers available.
“These and the concerns raised in the BBC programme show that Sellafield presents a direct threat to the health and safety of staff and of communities, including the people of Louth.
“The government should now publish in full its 2011 report which concluded there was no health risk from Sellafield but that a severe incident would have an impact on tourism and exports of Irish food.
“While Sellafield may no longer generate energy it is a major nuclear installation with huge amounts of nuclear materials stored on site.
“The BBC report revealed that between July 2012 and July 2013 there were 97 incidents where there too few workers available.
“These and the concerns raised in the BBC programme show that Sellafield presents a direct threat to the health and safety of staff and of communities, including the people of Louth.
“The government should now publish in full its 2011 report which concluded there was no health risk from Sellafield but that a severe incident would have an impact on tourism and exports of Irish food.
Rusty and corroded pipes and tanks at Sellafield
“It should also mount a vigorous campaign to demand that Sellafield be closed.”
During the Panorama documentary the whistleblower said his biggest fear was a fire in one of the nuclear waste silos or one of the processing plants.
He said: “If there is a fire there it could generate a plume of radiological waste that will go across Western Europe.”
Photographs obtained by the Mirror which were originally secured by the Ecologist website paint a picture of a plant which has been neglected for decades but which stores more highly-radioactive material than almost any other site in the world.
“It should also mount a vigorous campaign to demand that Sellafield be closed.”
During the Panorama documentary the whistleblower said his biggest fear was a fire in one of the nuclear waste silos or one of the processing plants.
He said: “If there is a fire there it could generate a plume of radiological waste that will go across Western Europe.”
Photographs obtained by the Mirror which were originally secured by the Ecologist website paint a picture of a plant which has been neglected for decades but which stores more highly-radioactive material than almost any other site in the world.
Sitting ducks.. one of the abandoned nuclear ponds at Sellafield
They show crumbling containers of toxic waste abandoned 40 years ago and fluid, said to be highly radioactive, being kept in rotting tanks which are open to the elements.
If the containers drain, the spent fuel could allegedly ignite, spreading radiation over a wide area.
Such a scenario could result in mass evacuations and a Chernobyl-like permanent exclusion zone in contaminated areas.
Leaked reports on the plant have pointed to “years of neglect” and “intolerable conditions” regarding Sellafield’s emergency management and maintenance of the site’s infrastructure.
They show crumbling containers of toxic waste abandoned 40 years ago and fluid, said to be highly radioactive, being kept in rotting tanks which are open to the elements.
If the containers drain, the spent fuel could allegedly ignite, spreading radiation over a wide area.
Such a scenario could result in mass evacuations and a Chernobyl-like permanent exclusion zone in contaminated areas.
Leaked reports on the plant have pointed to “years of neglect” and “intolerable conditions” regarding Sellafield’s emergency management and maintenance of the site’s infrastructure.
A gull nests above a Sellafield pond
Responding to the BBC, the head of nuclear safety at Sellafield Dr Rex Strong denied that operating below these levels was dangerous.
He said: “You make alternative arrangements, so the things that have to be done get done. “Facilities are shut down if we’re not able to operate them in the way that we want to.
“Safety is our priority, and we are managing a very complex site which has got a great deal of hazardous radioactive materials on it.”
Source: Irish Mirror, The Ecologist, News & Star, The Guardian, Telegraph, The Independent
Responding to the BBC, the head of nuclear safety at Sellafield Dr Rex Strong denied that operating below these levels was dangerous.
He said: “You make alternative arrangements, so the things that have to be done get done. “Facilities are shut down if we’re not able to operate them in the way that we want to.
“Safety is our priority, and we are managing a very complex site which has got a great deal of hazardous radioactive materials on it.”
Source: Irish Mirror, The Ecologist, News & Star, The Guardian, Telegraph, The Independent
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