Nuclear waste plan divides West Cumbria community
Last updated at 11:24, Monday, 21 May 2012
GEOLOGY, safety, the environment and security are just some of the issues discussed in a consultation on whether high-level nuclear waste should be buried under Cumbria.
Opinion is divided on whether to push on with plans for a £4bn repository in West Cumbria, after a large scale consultation was carried out.
The full results of West Cumbria’s Managing Radioactive Waste Safely Partnership study will be revealed at a meeting in Whitehaven on Tuesday, but a draft report has been released.
More than 1,400 responses were received during the consultation and West Cumbria is the only area in the country that so far has expressed an interest, although Shepway District Council in Kent said it is to hold a public meeting about whether Romney Marsh should consider volunteering, to offset the loss of 1,000 jobs at Dungeness power stations.
Almost 1,000 responded on the issue of whether or not the repository – known as a geological disposal facility, or GDF – should come to the area.
A total of 420 people suggested that West Cumbria should go ahead with the siting process and approximately 300 said the area should withdraw from the process completely.
Around 600 people said they believe the area is unsuitable for the facility and several town and parish councils have already made it clear that they don't want to proceed any further.
And fears have also been raised about potential terrorist attacks on the facility.
One consultee wrote: “This area is already a prime terrorist target, to create a repository will only increase this risk. I do not have confidence in the local security arrangements and am concerned that expansion of the facility will only exacerbate this.”
MRWS Partnership said there had been strong views for and against the search for a site.
It pointed out: “While some respondents simply state ‘Yes, go ahead,’ or ‘No the councils should withdraw,’ others detail their views more clearly, tending to focus on specific issues of concern, either positive or negative.
“Others are less explicit about whether they support or oppose West Cumbria entering the siting process, instead focusing on specific issues or on the issue of a geological disposal facility overall – rather than whether or not West Cumbria should proceed with the next stage of the process.”
The meeting takes place at Whitehaven Civic Hall on Tuesday from 9.30am to 4pm.
First published at 10:37, Saturday, 19 May 2012
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk
Have your say
Below is a Letter of Support to Kent - whose county council have vowed to 'use every tool in the box' to stop a geological dump - the contrast to Cumbrian leaders apathy and outright support for this diabolic plan for the worst option for nuclear waste the irreversible radioactive pollution of a geological dump-(rather than above ground dry secure storage while more research is done) is embarrassing.
Dear Kent County Council,Radiation Free Lakeland have been opposing a âgeological disposal facilityâ in Cumbria since 2008.We would like to send you a message of support in your strong opposition to the Dungeness plan and urge you to continue your opposition.Nuclear compliant areas are being groomed with wads of taxpayers money to accept the unacceptable geological dumping of high level nuclear wastes.
The MRWS CONsultation in Cumbria looks set to ignore the votes of 75% of the local parish councils (not so nuclear compliant after all!) across the region who democratically voted against the dump.Fifteen years ago a planning inquiry found that West Cumbriaâs leaky geology is unsuitable for a nuclear waste dump. The nuclear waste disposal company Nirex was closed down, but the government changed planning law so it can try to bury the wastes again, without having to consider the scientific evidence. Only this time, the dump would be much larger and include more dangerous wastes.Some scientists think that highly radioactive nuclear wastes could be buried elsewhere in the country, perhaps in Kent where more suitable geology might be found.However, most anti-nuclear groups OPPOSE DEEP DISPOSAL and say it would be safer to package and store the wastes where they can be kept dry and prevented from corroding whilst more research is done.BUT Everyone agrees that burying nuclear wastes in unsuitable geology poses unnecessary risks to future generations because radioactive water and gas will leak up to the surface.Radiation Free Lakeland are local volunteers and unfunded but we would like to offer our help and support in opposition to geological dumping of high level nuclear wastes in Kent.You may like the poem from Monty Pythonâs Terry Jones, a facsimile of which is on display at Rock Solid? Expo in Kendal Museum.âThey didnât want it in London
There are too many folk there (with friends),
And they couldnât go and put it near Brighton,
Because thatâs where they spend their weekends.
They ruled out all places near Windsor
Where you just donât know who it offends,
And Berkshire is frightfully pretty
And so are the Downs and the Thames.
The Chilterns are too full of tourists On whom our whole country depends,
And Kent has got such lovely houses,
And itâs just far too wet in the Fens.
And Henley and Sidcup and Finchley
Are all places oneâ¦somehowâ¦defendsâ¦
So they thought that theyâd dump it in Evesham,
Just where the rainbow endsâ. â¦â¦â¦â¦..http://rocksolidexpo.blogspot.co.uk/yours sincerely,
Marianne Birkby on behalf of
Radiation Free Lakeland
Posted by marianne on 20 May 2012 at 10:44