Sellafield waste row escalates
The government of Norway is taking legal advice on how to stop British Nuclear
Fuels (BNFL) discharging radioactive waste into the sea from the Sellafield
plant in north-west England. The warning came at a conference on pollution of
the North Sea in the Norwegian city of Bergen. UK Environment Minister Michael
Meacher had to weather a 200-strong demonstration by campaigners opposed to
radiation releases from Sellafield. Protesters say plant must close The issue
dominated the two-day conference on protection of the North Sea environment.
Ocean currents carry small traces of radioactivity from the plant\'s waste pipe
on the Irish Sea coast across to Scandinavia, and it has been detected in
shellfish and seaweed in Norway. The UK Government is due to decide soon whether
the discharges can continue. But the Norwegian environment minister has revealed
he is now seeking legal advice on whether he can force Britain to stop the
releases now under international law. I am aware that there are genuine and very
real concerns in this country Michael Meacher Environment Minister And Prime
Minister Kjell Magne Bondevik openly encouraged his Norwegians to join peaceful
protests planned in Bergen against emissions into the ocean from the plant. Mr
Meacher was lobbied at the conference by peaceful demonstrators calling for the
complete closure of Sellafield. He was also confronted by a protest about
overfishing in the North Sea. Cautious optimism The ministers from nine
countries bordering the North Sea are warning large areas will need to be closed
off to fishing within two years if the alarming decline in stocks is to be
reversed. Mr Meacher promised to listen to complaints about Sellafield, saying:
\"I am aware that there are genuine and very real concerns in this country.\"
After a brief meeting with Mr Meacher, Norwegian Environment Minister Boerge
Brende said he doubted that the North Sea meeting would lead to a Sellafield
solution. \"I am a cautious optimist,\" said Mr Brende, adding that he thought
the British Government would find a solution within months. Zdroj: BBC
The government of Norway is taking legal advice on how to stop British Nuclear Fuels (BNFL) discharging radioactive waste into the sea from the Sellafield plant in north-west England.
The warning came at a conference on pollution of the North Sea in the Norwegian city of Bergen.
UK Environment Minister Michael Meacher had to weather a 200-strong demonstration by campaigners opposed to radiation releases from Sellafield.
Protesters say plant must close
The issue dominated the two-day conference on protection of the North Sea environment.
Ocean currents carry small traces of radioactivity from the plant\'s waste pipe on the Irish Sea coast across to Scandinavia, and it has been detected in shellfish and seaweed in Norway.
The UK Government is due to decide soon whether the discharges can continue.
But the Norwegian environment minister has revealed he is now seeking legal advice on whether he can force Britain to stop the releases now under international law.
I am aware that there are genuine and very real concerns in this country
Michael Meacher
Environment Minister
And Prime Minister Kjell Magne Bondevik openly encouraged his Norwegians to join peaceful protests planned in Bergen against emissions into the ocean from the plant.
Mr Meacher was lobbied at the conference by peaceful demonstrators calling for the complete closure of Sellafield.
He was also confronted by a protest about overfishing in the North Sea.
Cautious optimism
The ministers from nine countries bordering the North Sea are warning large areas will need to be closed off to fishing within two years if the alarming decline in stocks is to be reversed.
Mr Meacher promised to listen to complaints about Sellafield, saying: \"I am aware that there are genuine and very real concerns in this country.\"
After a brief meeting with Mr Meacher, Norwegian Environment Minister Boerge Brende said he doubted that the North Sea meeting would lead to a Sellafield solution.
\"I am a cautious optimist,\" said Mr Brende, adding that he thought the British Government would find a solution within months.
Zdroj: BBC
Sdílet článek na sociálních sítích