News

Sellafield to get a
nuclear waste dump?

NIREX is paving the way to return to West Cumbria to dig a nuclear waste dump under the Gosforth area, according to local newspaper, the Whitehaven News. Nirex's plans for a so-called Rock Characterisation Facility were turned down in 1997 by the then environment secretary John Gummer after a five-month inquiry. But Nirex has retained long leases on land around its West Cumbrian boreholes.

The official site selection process in 2007 for the nation’s future nuclear waste store will include other potential locations such as Dounreay in Scotland. But a new factor in the selection process, which could see Gosforth chosen, is that site selection will give extra weighting to what is termed a “volunteering process”. So an area that will accept such a dump will score higher in the selection process. Copeland and Cumbria councils have in the past indicated conditional support for the nuclear industry. But Copeland MP Jamie Reed says: “Talk of site selection processes and volunteerism is incredibly premature as the Committee on Radioactive Waste Management (CoRWM) has yet to make any recommendations on the way forward". He also called for Nirex to be disbanded because ”it neither inspires trust nor possesses credibility”.

Copeland Council leader Elaine Woodburn denied Copeland had given total support to the industry. She said: “No doubt eyes will turn to Copeland as we already have 70% of the waste. Safety has to be the overriding factor and we have to retain a possible veto.”

The Whitehaven News says it is aware that large landholdings around Longlands at Gosforth remain with Nirex as a long 21-year lease.

Whitehaven News 16th February 2006