Cumbrians soft and "willing" Nuke Dump Host ?

Are Cumbrians  a soft and willing host for 'geological disposal' of high level nuclear waste?  Is compensation possible for loss of a viable future? The many Cumbrian groups who have already expressed opposition to the geological disposal of nuclear waste think not.

Click on a thumbnail for a slideshow view

On the 3rd November Allerdale Borough Council will be considering "withdrawing an expression of interest in geological disposal" following a proposal  by Councillor Joe Sandwith. The meeting is scheduled to take place at Stainburn School, Workington 7.00pmAllerdale is right to 'withdraw.'  David Smythe  Emeritus Professor ofGeology at Glasgow University has saidthe scientific evidence carried out in the 1990s which cost the public purse £400M   shows that -   No site in West Cumbria is suitable for geological disposal! Even if the geology had been suitable:"however, the emplacement of high-level waste in an underground repository would entail a major perturbation of the geological system, involving: (i) a large number oftunnels covering an area of several square kilometres (ii) the release of significant amounts of heat, initially of the order of tens of thousandsof kilowatts per square kilometre (iii) intense radiation and significant quantifies of highly toxic radionuclides, each with its own complex chemistry" (Rock Solid a scientific review by Dr Helen Wallace Sept 2010). Contrary to the media hype,  Cumbria has not 'volunteered'.   County Councillors were not allowed to vote.  Less than five people in the County Council Cabinet 'expressed an interest.' Allerdale Borough Council may well be joining the many groups in Cumbria who have already expressed formal opposition to geological disposal of high level nuclear wastes.  These groups include Radiation Free Lakeland, Cumbria Action on Climate Change, South Lakes Action on Climate Change, Artists Opposed to Nuclear Developments, Ulverston Green Party and many more. The plan for new nuclear build is dependent on finding a "soft and willing" host community (never mind the science)  - to enable the high level waste problem to be seen to be "solved" by one or more deep dumps. The only chance of stopping an escalating nuclear violation of Cumbria is to say a strong and unequivocal NO to geological disposal and YES to a viable future where all money and expertise in nuclear is put into looking after the existing volatile wastes as safely as possible  - and no more wastes are produced. Please write to the "Managing Radioactive Waste Safely Partnership" with your group, organisation, business, formal expression of opposition. Letter to MRWS Partnership expressing opposition to geological disposal To Rhuari Bennett - MRWS Partnership Facilitator      rhuari@3kq.co.uk Dear Rhuari, I represent Cumbrian Action on Climate Change. We are a group of people from across Cumbria and North Lancashire who have been working within our communities for the past four years to support a transition towards a low carbon economy and safer future for generations to come. Cumbrian Action on Climate Change would like to formally register its firm commitment to an expression of opposition to the so called 'Managing Radioactive Wastes Safely Partnership'. The Partnership process is aimed solely at steering 'volunteer' communities into the geological disposal of high level nuclear wastes rather than looking at the safest options which are above ground and retrievable. If the 'volunteer' process fails then the government "will look at other options", we take this to mean forcing an underground nuclear dump (or more than one dump) on communities. The pronuclear Department of Energy and Climate Change is desperate to have been seen to have 'solved the problem of nuclear waste' in order to go ahead with new build. The MRWS process is looking to include high level wastes from new build as well as so called 'legacy' (still arriving) wastes. We await formal recognition of our opposition to this process and policy. Regards, Cumbrian Action on Climate Change ........

Links:

Radiation Free Lakeland

Contact email: rafl@mariannebirkby.plus.com