Letter to UK regretting opening of new MOX fuel plant at Sellafield

Dear Margaret,

On behalf of the Norwegian Government I would like to communicate our deep concern over the proposed decision of the British Environment Agency with regard to future regulations of discharges of Technetium-99 from Sellafield. Despite the obligations taken by the UK under the OSPAR Convention, as well as repeated protests from Ireland and the Nordic countries, the Agency has proposed to retain the current discharge limit for technetium-99 until 2006. The likely result of continued discharges at the present high levels is that the concentrations of Technetium-99 in marine biota along the Norwegian coast will continue to increase.

I would also like to communicate my concern over your conclusion that the manufacture of MOX fuel at Sellafield is justified. If successful, the new MOX plant will strengthen the commercial basis for reprocessing activities at Sellafield, and most likely expand the volume and prolong the life span of these activities as well as the discharges and risks they entail. There will also inevitably be more shipments of MOX-fuel which represent a significant environmental and safety risk. If the plans to use the Northern Sea Route as an alternative shipping route for such transports are realized, Norwegian waters and fishery interests may be directly affected. Taking into account the likely overall impacts of the operation of the Sellafield MOX plant, I strongly regret the decision you have made in this important matter.

Norway depends heavily on the utilisation of marine resources and the quality of the marine environment. Radioactive contaminants which are transported from UK reprocessing facilities to Norwegian waters is therefore an issue of deep public concern in Norway. In 1994, discharges of Technetium-99 from Sellafield increased 50-fold, and despite repeated protests from the international community, discharges have remained high. The increase of Technetium-99 levels in seawater and biota along the Norwegian coast has led to a strong public demand for substantial and immediate reductions of these discharges. Recently published monitoring results have demonstrated that Sellafield is the principal current source of radioactive contamination not only along the Norwegian coast, but in the Barents Sea and the Svalbard area as well.

International sea-food markets may be susceptible even to rumours of radioactive pollution, and there is a real risk that continued pollution from Sellafield may taint the public perception of sea-food and other marine products from Norwegian waters.

The British reluctance to reduce these discharges has led to growing frustration among the Norwegian public. Recently, this frustration has peaked due to the proposed decision to discharge technetium-99 to sea until 2006, as well as the newly revealed information that total discharges of radioactive substances from Sellafield are expected to increase further in the years to come. The Norwegian public is also deeply concerned about the decision to allow British Nuclear Fuels to start the operation of the new MOX-plant at Sellafield.

According to the Environment Agency it is technically feasible to reduce the Technetium-99 discharge limit to 10 Tbq/year already this year, simply by storing the waste until proper technology to remove Technetium-99 can be installed. According to the Agency, this would reduce the total discharges of Technetium-99 by more than 80% compared to the Agency’s proposed option. Such a reduction will be more in line with the UK obligations under OSPAR, which includes a commitment already in 2000 to work towards achieving further substantial reductions or elimination of discharges, emissions and losses of radioactive substances.

It is my sincere hope that you will exercise your statutory powers of direction to change the Agency’s proposed decision so that discharges of technetium-99 from Sellafield can be reduced immediately.

Yours sincerely,

Siri Bjerke

Copy:

Minister for the Environment Michael Meacher,
Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions

Secretary of State Alan Milburn,
Department of Health

Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Oslo

Royal Norwegian Embassy, London

Royal British Embassy, Oslo