EU politicians fall for industry promise of elusive storage solution for radioactive waste

Press release - May 26, 2011
Brussels – The European Parliament’s industry committee is today expected to back underground dumping of highly radioactive material as a supposed solution for nuclear waste, despite the open questions, risks and costs associated with this type of disposal, said Greenpeace.

Thermal images of Castor nuclear transport in Valogne

Thermography images showing in 'red' the heat emitted by nuclear waste transport containers in the railway station of Valognes in February 2010, bound for storage in Gorleben, Germany. The Gorleben test site for highly radioactive waste is riddled with problems, but the CASTOR (Cask for Storage and Transport of Radioactive material) train convoy carried eleven 100-tonne containers of radioactive waste. Measurements of these containers showed that the radioactivity in each one was higher than what was released at Chernobyl in 1986.

Greenpeace EU nuclear policy adviser Jan Haverkamp said: “Anyone claiming to be able to store nuclear waste safely for the next 100,000 years is telling fairytales. The safety of deep disposal cannot be guaranteed and faces many unresolved challenges; it is utterly irresponsible for MEPs to pretend otherwise.”

Nuclear industry lobbyists point to deep storage as the ultimate solution for the waste issue. But planned deep storage projects for highly radioactive waste in Gorleben (in Germany), Forsmark (in Sweden), Bure (in France) and Olkiluoto (in Finland) are already facing a long list of problems. Another deep disposal site for low and mid-level radioactive waste at Asse, in Germany, has been subject to leaks, water contamination, corrosion and potential structural collapse. Clearing the site is expected to cost taxpayers several billion euros.

Greenpeace believes that the nuclear industry has been unable to prove the long-term safety of any existing disposal method and urges European governments to quickly move away from nuclear power to clean and renewable energy sources.

For more information on nuclear waste, please see:
Briefing: The deadly legacy of radioactive waste
Report: Rock Solid? A scientific review of geological disposal of high-level radioactive waste

Contacts:
Jan Haverkamp
– Greenpeace EU nuclear energy policy:
+32 (0)477 790 416 (mobile),
Mark Breddy, Greenpeace EU communication manager:
+32 2 274 1903, +32 496 156 229 (mobile),

For breaking news and comment on EU affairs: www.twitter.com/GreenpeaceEU

Greenpeace is an independent global campaigning organisation that acts to change attitudes and behaviour, to protect and conserve the environment and to promote peace. Greenpeace does not accept donations from governments, the EU, businesses or political parties.

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