The NFLA Welsh Forum will be holding its autumn seminar this Friday and considering a matter of recent topical interest – will the Cardiff Bay area be receiving large amount of radioactively contaminated material dredged from a proposed Hinkley Point C nuclear reactor, and is it of public concern?
Research by independent marine pollution researcher Tim Deere-Jones suggests that there are real public safety issues in the Welsh Government permitting a dredging licence from EDF over its plans to discharge materials from its proposed new nuclear reactor across Cardiff Bay at Hinkley Point C. The marine disposal of 300,000 tonnes of radioactively contaminated dredged sediments could take place from this development.
Whilst the amounts of radioactive material may be at low level, Tim Deere-Jones argues the material can re-concentrate and also move inland due to storm surges and severe weather. NFLA has published his concerns today within a NFLA Radioactive Waste Briefing. The concerns raised in this report have also been raised by Neil McEvoy AM at the Welsh Assembly and an online petition has received so many names the issue will now have to be formally discussed in a debate at the Assembly.
NFLA is keen to understand more about these concerns at the seminar, and then plans to raise them in greater detail with the Welsh Government and Welsh environmental regulators.
The seminar will also consider other issues of importance to Welsh Councils, including:
- Overviews of wider concerns with proposed Wylfa B and Hinkley Point C nuclear reactors by Dr Carl Clowes of PAWB and Roy Pumfrey of Stop Hinkley.
- Joseph Kidd, Project Manager for Marine Energy Wales will consider the prospects for marine energy projects in Wales.
- Sean Morris, NFLA Secretary will consider the prospects for decentralised energy in Wales and Tony Cooke of Cardiff Community Energy will provide a local case study. (2)
NFLA Welsh Forum Co-Chair Councillor Ernie Galsworthy said:
“The issues around radioactive discharges from a new nuclear programme is amongst one of the many issues of concern the NFLA has with the development of new nuclear reactors. I will be very interested in hearing from Tim Deere-Jones what these issues could be and whether there is a significant public safety concern over them. I am also interested in the wider issues of new nuclear build and the possibilities that exist for the development of renewable and decentralised energy solutions for Wales. This excellent speaker programme is testament to the quality of the NFLA in bringing high quality speakers to a local government audience. I encourage councillors and council officers to attend.”
Ends – for more information please contact Sean Morris, NFLA Secretary, on 00 44 (0)161 234 3244.
Notes for editors:
(1) NFLA Radioactive Waste Briefing 69, 10th October 2017 is attached with this media release and will be placed on the NFLA website
(2) NFLA Welsh Forum autumn seminar, 13th October 2017, Committee Room 2, Cardiff County Hall, Cardiff Bay, 11am – 1pm
- Dr Carl Clowes, People Against Wylfa B Joint Co-ordinator – “Will Wylfa B be realised, and what are the risks to Wales of it?”
- Roy Pumfrey, Member of the Stop Hinkley group – “Will Hinkley C be built, and what are the risks to South Wales and the South West?”
- Tim Deere-Jones, Independent marine radioactivity consultant – “What are the risks from dumping marine sediment from Hinkley Point C into Welsh coastal water near Cardiff Bay?”
- Joseph Kidd, Project Manager, Marine Energy Wales – “Current progress in the marine energy sector in Wales and prospects for the future”
- Sean Morris, NFLA Secretary – “What are the prospects for decentralised energy in the future?”
- Tony Cooke, Director, Cardiff Community Energy – “A local community energy case study”