Plans to bury N-waste at Keekle Head set to be turned down
Last updated at 12:27, Tuesday, 08 May 2012
Proposals to bury a million tonnes of low-level radioactive waste near Distington are set to be turned down today.
County councillors meet this morning to rule on Endecom UK’s planning application for Keekle Head, Pica.
Planning officers say the scheme should be turned down.
A report from Paul Feehily, the council’s assistant director – planning and sustainability, argues there is no need for it.
In any case, it may be better to dispose of low-level waste at existing nuclear sites rather than ship it to Keekle Head.
The report says: “The dispersal and proliferation of any type of radioactive waste management facilities away from established nuclear sites creates a negative image of Cumbria and west Cumbria in particular.
“This could deter investment from the non-nuclear sector and damage prospects for much needed economic diversification, growth and regeneration.”
It adds that there is no evidence the development would “give rise to unacceptable health risks” but it would have an “unacceptable impact” on the landscape.
The report concludes: “There is no demonstrable overriding and present need for this facility, no need or potential benefits that would outweigh the adverse impacts.”
Endecom says the 170-acre site would handle 20,000 tonnes of waste a year for 50 years.
Most would come from decommissioned plant and buildings at Sellafield.
It would arrive at a waste reception building in drums or sealed bulk bags.
A proportion would be diverted to a verification suite to have radioactivity levels measured.
Waste deemed fit for disposal would be taken to a containment area.
There would be up to 30 jobs during construction and 15 permanent jobs once it opened.
The county council has received a huge number of objections.
Nearly 400 people signed a round-robin letter against the scheme. There were 36 written representations. Copeland Council says there is no need or justification for the facility.
Arlecdon and Frizington parish council is worried radioactivity could leak into groundwater.
First published at 12:26, Tuesday, 08 May 2012
Published by http://www.whitehavennews.co.uk
The majority of you commenting need to understand one thing.....THE WASTE IS HERE..... Now how do we deal with it? Above or below ground are the choices we face. Looking at this logically if there was to be a breach of containment would you rather it occurred 500 metres below ground and take thousands of years to reach the surface by which time it will have decayed massively, or have it on the surface and face an immediate problem......over to you intellectuals .
JohnnyquestView all 14 comments on this article
Have your say
if it is heer johnny get it sent down to london and get the underground dump built there as we dont want it
Posted by victor on 14 May 2012 at 22:23