Press Release
25 October 2006
Government ‘spin’ recommendations on radioactive waste management
Nuclear Free Local Authorites (1) reacted cautiously to today's announcement by Government about the way forward on radioactive waste management (2).
Speaking for NFLAs, Councillor Mike Rumney, Fife Council and NFLA Co-Chair, said:
"The Government and devolved administrations have turned a conditional recommendation from the Committee on Radioactive Waste Management (CoRWM) into an unconditional one. CoRWM concluded deep disposal of higher level radioactive waste was the 'best available' option but much more work was needed. Today Government announced that higher level radioactive waste "will be managed in the long term through geological disposal". This goes much further than CoRWM. There are many scientific uncertainties about geological disposal which is why CoRWM also recommended the development of a 'Plan b' - long term waste storage - in case it proved impossible to develop a site in the UK deep underground."
NFLAs also called for more time to reflect on the best organisational approach to implementing Government policy.
Councillor Rumney continued:
"CoRWM spent three years and consulted widely on the best way forward on UK radioactive waste management policy. In three months the Government has decided behind closed doors how it will interprete and implement CoRWM's recommendations. It has handed the task to the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority - which might be the right way to go but we need more open and transparent examination and consultation on all the options first - in the spirit of CoRWM's work to date. Public confidence is the key to progress on radioactive waste management. We are concerned that today's announcement will damage public confidence."
ENDS
1. Nuclear Free Local Authorities is a growing network of councils across, England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, and the Republic of Ireland campaigning to reduce nuclear hazards and increase public and environmental protection.