Radhealth
A study of nearly 65,000 nuclear industry workers over more than 60 years has found a possible link between high radiation exposure and heart disease. The finding was particularly surprising since there is no established biological mechanism that would explain how radiation exposure might cause heart disease. However, the research team stressed that its analysis could not rule out other factors that could explain the link, such as work-related stress or irregular shift patterns.
Guardian 4th March 2008 more >>
Times 5th March 2008 more >>
FT 5th March 2008 more >>
Scotsman 5th March 2008 more >>
Telegraph 5th March 2008 more >>
Independent 5th March 2008 more >>
NDA
The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, the agency in charge of Britain’s nuclear clean-up, has had to ask the Department for Business for £400 million to bolster its budget amid accounting confusion that could lead to delays in the clean-up work.
Times 5th March 2008 more >>
Sellafield
An incident at Sellafield, when a worker was hospitalized after a wound became contaminated with radiation has been classified as a level one incident.
North west Evening Mail 4th March 2008 more >>
New Nukes
Nuclear energy production must increase by more than 10 percent each year from 2010 to 2050 to meet all future energy demands and replace fossil fuels, but this is an unsustainable prospect. According to a report published in Inderscience’s International Journal of Nuclear Governance, Economy and Ecology such a large growth rate will require a major improvement in nuclear power efficiency otherwise each new power plant will simply cannibalize the energy produced by earlier nuclear power plants.
Eurekalert 4th March 2008 more >>
Letter: You report that nuclear power requires 12,500 litres of water for every 5 MW, compared with 10,000 litres for coal and 5 litres for wind (“Water to be the next commoditised resource”, 3 March). This is misleading, because the cooling water for nuclear power is not contaminated in any way.
Independent 5th March 2008 more >>
Iran
Plans for a new resolution against Iran at the UN’s nuclear watchdog have been dropped, reports quoting diplomats say. Diplomats speaking anonymously to news agencies said Western states had scrapped the plans in the face of opposition led by China and Russia. Some objectors reportedly felt the move unnecessary, after the UN Security Council approved new sanctions over Iran’s nuclear programme on Monday.
BBC 4th March 2008 more >>
Lithuania
A new study gives fresh backing to Lithuania’s desire to keep its nuclear plant open beyond a deadline for closure of 2009 set by the European Union, the prime minister said on Tuesday. The EU says the Ignalina power plant, which has reactors of the same design as at Chernobyl, is unsafe and should be closed. One reactor was shut in 2004, the other must close at end-2009.
Guardian website 4th March 2008 more >>
