Scientifically, morally and environmentally un-sound…. Geological Disposal of Nuclear Waste

Below is the Response to DECC with regard to the ‘call for evidence’ on “Working with Communities” on Geological Disposal of Nuclear Wastes

No Nuke Dumping believe There is no guarantee that a geological disposal
facility can contain radionuclides long-term.

We do not therefore support the context of this “call for evidence” as we
believe it is scientifically, morally and environmentally un-sound to
dispose of high–level radioactive waste in a GDF, under the terms of a Nationally Significantly Infrastructure Project(NSIP).

• We believe that existing nuclear waste should be stored
in a retrievable manner at the surface, or near to the surface, in line
with Scotland’s Higher Activity Radioactive Waste Policy 2011.(pdf).  Waste could
then be monitored and managed appropriately without risk of exposure to
water supplies, and without additional cause for concern for future
generations.

• We are also concerned about how communities are being
defined for the purposes of this exercise especially since UKOOG has
defined ‘community’ as perhaps being the sole tenant on any given site,
this is clearly an unsatisfactory definition when there are such widespread
far-reaching consequences for current generations and future generations.

• The only operational facility for Nuclear Waste
Management in the world; the ‘Waste Isolation Pilot Plant’ project in
Carlsbad New Mexico, only receives ‘low-level’ radioactive wastes. A
serious incident occurred on Feb 14th 2014 where radionuclides reached the
surface and leaked into the surrounding area. *W.I.P.P is still closed over
a year later due to the widespread contamination which made it impossible
to maintain the facilities. The geological disposal of low level
radioactive waste is now causing ceiling collapse & exacerbating a variety
of problems. W.I.P.P’s radioactive waste inventory is nowhere near as
problematic as the waste inventory that the D.E.C.C is proposing to
‘dispose’ of here in the UK.*

• The first committee on radioactive waste management
CoRWM1 report that endorsed GDFs was heavily caveated and was a
recommendation for *committed wastes only* & *not a proposal for wastes
arising from New Build* where they were very clear that new build wastes
would require a separate investigation and recommendations.

• It is *absolutely not the case* that the GDF research
that informed CoRWM1’s recommendation dealt with issues arising from high
burn up fuel, proposed for the Governments planned new generation of
reactors.

*A scheme as crucial to the health and safety of our entire nation requires
the full attention of every layer of community and government, and a high
level of public awareness is essential.*

We urge you to consider that the only safe way of tackling the waste is
with the best scientists, geologists and engineers were working in
collaboration with independent experts and lay communities in a
not-for-profit setting. The recent experience of the NMP (Nuclear
Management Partnership) private consortium, who lost their contract at
Sellafield, clearly demonstrates that profit-making and safety do not mix.
*We ask you to halt the plan for GDF’s within the regime of NSIP, which we
feel sit outside of the law, and are not in the best interests of the
United Kingdom, it’s people, land and environments and all future
generations as well as being a clear breach of the Aarhus convention. The
inclusion of GDFs in the list of NSIPs is undemocratic, unlikely to meet
with favourable public opinion and fundamentally un-safe*

Yours sincerely,

Ms. Eleanor Bull – Cheshire

Dr. Becky Martin – Wiltshire

Mrs. Louise Somerville Williams – Somerset

Ms. Helz Cuppleditch – Sussex

Marianne Birkby – Cumbria

Nicola Clark – BSc Hons (open) Environmental Studies – Somerset

Founder Members of No Nuke Dumping

And on Behalf of:

Frack Free Somerset

Radiation Free Lakeland

Frack Free Families