Countering Capenhurst Issue 8– August 2016
This issue of Countering Capenhurst is very much a news update.
We will be published a series of follow ups on all the issues mention in this edition within the next few weeks.
Co-Ordinated Waste Train Protests
DRS [ Direct Rail Services ] is the company which transports nukiller waste along the railways.
The company has two depots.
One at Carlisle and the other one at Crewe.
On Saturday July 23rd DRS held its open day at Crewe.
The Close Capenhurst Campaign organises a protest outside of the Depot, and played a key part in initiating a series of Co-Ordinated protests / leafleting sessions outside of various stations the waste goes through.
On the Saturday there were leafleting sessions outside of the following stations.
Bangor, Bridegwater, Bristol, Bromley, Colwyn Bay, Inveness, Rhyll, Shepherds Bush
There was also leafleting outside of Slateford Station / Edinburgh West on the Friday.
While Radiation Free Lakeland was leafleting in Whitehaven on what was the last day of the public consultation about new build at Moorside.
This is the text of the 1,800 leaflet which we distributed at Crewe.
Welcome to the Direct Rail Services [ DRS ] Open Day!
Welcome to one of the most dangerous train depots to be found anywhere in the world !
Do enjoy your visit to this DRS depot where waste trains that carry nuclear waste are based.
Yet do please consider these facts before you go in to the depot.
– Each of these waste flasks contains extremely-radioactive fuel rods.
– These waste trains are transported through some of the most highly-populated areas in the UK.
– They are transported through towns and cities including Bristol, Chester, Edinburgh, Lancaster, London, Preston, Stafford, Warrington, Wigan, & Worcester. They also go through some of the most congested railway junctions in the country, including Willesden Junction and Crewe.
– The flasks this waste is carried in is not 100% secure: they leak low-level radiation causing contamination risks.
– Accidents to nuclear trains have happened and will happen in the future. In a serious accident, causing a waste flask to break open, high-level radiation would be released threatening thousands of deaths downwind.
– All this waste is taken to Sellafield were it will be left untreated for many decades into the future.
We do not need to create this waste, as we can create power from the sun, wind, and tides.
What the Hex?
Depleted Uranium Hexafluoride is a nukiller waste product which is stored in very large quantities in the grounds at Capenhurst.
Drigg
During July the Planning Committee of Cumbria County Council considered the proposed expansion of the nukiller waste site at Drigg.
We voiced our opposition to this development at the meeting, as did Radiation Free Lakeland.
This is the joint statement by CCC Kick Nuclear & Nuclear Trains Action group which was given to the Committee.
Statement concerning the Drigg Low Level Waste Repository in Cumbria.
This statement is written on behalf of the following organisations: –
– The Close Capenhurst Campaign
– Kick Nuclear
&
– The Nuclear Waste Trains Action Group.
Immediate Concerns.
We would like voice our concerns about the proposed extension to the Low Level Waste Repository at Drigg in Cumbria.
Our immediate concerns are as follows:-
– There has been very poor monitoring of just what radioactive waste is stored at the Drigg site.
– That a full audit of the radioactive waste needs to be made in order to get a clear understanding of the state of site.
– That the edge of the site boarders upon a flood risk area.
&
– Will be subject to rising tides due to global warming with the next few decades.
Historical Development.
‘During WW2 a Royal Ordnance Factory (ROF Drigg) was established at Drigg between the railway line and the sea. This is now the site of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority low-level radioactive waste repository.
The site, which was opened in 1959 by the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority, covers about 110 hectares (270 acres), and holds about one million cubic metres of radioactive waste, although historic disposal records are incomplete. Much of the waste came from the nearby Sellafield nuclear complex.’
Dangerous Waste, Rising Tides and Flooding.
During 2014 the Guardian newspaper published the following: –
‘Cumbrian nuclear dump ‘virtually certain’ to be eroded by rising sea levels
One million cubic metres of waste near Sellafield are housed at a site that was a mistake, admits Environment Agency.’
It went on as follows: –
‘Britain’s nuclear dump is virtually certain to be eroded by rising sea levels and to contaminate the Cumbrian coast with large amounts of radioactive waste, according to an internal document released by the Environment Agency (EA).
The document suggests that in retrospect it was a mistake to site the Drigg Low-Level Waste Repository (LLWR) on the Cumbrian coast because of its vulnerability to flooding. “It is doubtful whether the location of the LLWR site would be chosen for a new facility for near-surface radioactive waste disposal if the choice were being made now,” it says.’
The current Environmental Agency Flood Warning map clearly illustrates our concerns..
This map clearly that Drigg site is surrounded by low lying land which is prone to flooding.
Future Waste.
Our other main concern is that any extension to the storage facilities as Drigg will be used to justify keeping existing nuclear facilities in operation, and be used to justify new build with all the dangers which come with it.
We would also like it to be noted that any extension to the storage facilities at Drigg will not just effect the population of Cumbria, but could well have a much more global impact.
In conclusion.
– A full Ecological audit should be made of the Drigg site.
– No more radioactive waste should be added to it.
– An immediate clean up plan should be implemented at the site.
&
– No more radioactive waste should be produced which would go to the Drigg Low Level Waste Repository, or any other site.
A Terrible Outcome.
Despite our protests the planning proposal was approved.
Here are the Field Notes from the”Delegated Decision” to Sweep Ever More Nuclear Waste Under the West Coast at Drigg
We will continue to oppose this development in conjunction with our fellow campaigners within Radiation Free Lakeland.
Capenhurst to become the next nukiller submarine Dustbin
It has just been announced that Capenhurst will the the site to store the radioactive remains of 27 Royal Navy nukiller submarine.
The issue about the 19 sub radioactive parts is just a starting point, as it looks like the radioactive cores from the currently being built subs will also go to Capenhurst at some date in the future.
There are currently 19 nuclear submarines which the MoD no longer wants.
12 of them are currently at Plymouth and the rest at Rosyth in Scotland.
There is a suspicion that exactly the same might happen with the currently being built Astute-class submarines once they have been decommissioned.
Longer term the same might happen to any Trident submarines – should they ever be built.
Drigg
Statement concerning the Drigg Low Level Waste Repository in Cumbria.
This statement is written on behalf of the following organisations: –
The Close Capenhurst Campaign
Kick Nuclear
&
The Nuclear Trains Action Group.
Immediate Concerns.
We would like voice our concerns about the proposed extension to the Low Level Waste Repository at Drigg in Cumbria.
These are:-
There has been very poor monitoring of just what radioactive waste is stored at the Drigg site.
That a full audit of the radioactive waste needs to be made in order to get a clear understanding of the state of site.
That the edge of the site borders upon an area at high risk of flooding.
That the site will be threatened by flooding due to global warming leading to a rise in sea-level in the next few decades.
Historical Development
During WW2 a Royal Ordnance Factory (ROF Drigg) was established at Drigg between the railway line and the sea. This is now the site of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority low-level radioactive waste repository. The site, which was opened in 1959 by the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority covers about 110 hectares, and holds about one million cubic metres of radioactive waste, although disposal records are incomplete. Much of the waste came from the nearby Sellafield nuclear complex. *1.
Dangerous Waste, Rising Tides and Flooding.
During 2014 the Guardian newspaper published a report which said: “[The Drigg] nuclear dump is virtually certain to be eroded by rising sea levels and to contaminate the Cumbrian coast with large amounts of radioactive waste, according to an internal document released by the Environment Agency [EA]…[This] document suggests that in retrospect it was a mistake to site the Drigg Low-Level Waste Repository (LLWR) on the Cumbrian coast because of its vulnerability to flooding. It says: “It is doubtful whether the location of the LLWR site would be chosen for a new facility for near-surface radioactive waste disposal if the choice were being made now.”
The current Environmental Agency Flood Warning map clearly illustrates our concerns, showing that Drigg site is surrounded by low lying land which is prone to flooding. *3
Future Waste.
Our other main concern is that any extension to the storage facilities as Drigg will be used to justify keeping existing nuclear facilities in operation, and be used to justify new build with all the dangers which come with it.
We would also like it to be noted that any extension to the storage facilities at Drigg will not just effect the population of Cumbria, but could well have a much more global impact.
In conclusion.
A full ecological audit should be made of the Drigg site.
No more radioactive waste should be added to it.
An immediate clean-up plan should be implemented at the site.
No more radioactive waste should be produced which would go to the Drigg Low Level Waste Repository, or any other site.
References.
*1: Drigg
*2: Cumbrian nuclear dump ‘virtually certain’ to be eroded by rising sea levels.
*3:Map