Letter to GB from the Nordic Council regarding radioactive discharges from Sellafield

30 October 2001

To the
Government of Great Britain

Radioactive discharges from Sellafield

At its meeting today, the Nordic Council Presidium discussed the environmental problems affecting the Nordic and Arctic region as a consequence of the longtime discharges of radioactive substances from the processing plant in Sellafield.

The Presidium observes that the Nordic enviromental ministers, at their meeting with the British ministers Margaret Beckett and Michael Meacher in Luxemburg October 29, again called upon Great Britain to make an active effort to reduce discharges. The Presidium further notes that this topic was addressed at the Nordic environmental ministers meeting in Copenhagen today.

The Presidium shares the environmental ministers concern over the discharges of radioactive substances. Traces of technetium-99 (Tc-99) originating from the Sellafield plant have recently been detected as far north as the Barents Sea and in the waters around Spitsbergen. This pollution will eventually also reach Icelandic waters. It is alarming and unacceptable that the levels of technetium-99 in brown algae in e.g. the Oslo fjord, according to the Norwegian Radiation protection authorities, is five times higher today than 1997.

Within the framework of the OSPAR convention for the protection of the Northeastern Atlantic, extensive discussions have taken place concerning the discharges and the technical development of nuclear waste treatment plants. By adopting the OSPAR strategy in Sintra 1998, Great Britain has committed itself to implement considerable reductions of discharges already by 2000. This is a very positive step. Furthermore, it is essential that Great Britain fulfills its committment to launch a national action plan for the reduction of discharges. The OSPAR strategy urges all participating countries, including the Nordic countries, to elaborate such national plans.

The Presidium stresses the importance of fulfilling the objectives set out in the OSPAR strategy by national measures as well as by paying continued attention to the issues within the work of OSPAR. Together, Great Britain and the Nordic Countries should work for placing the reduction of radioactive discharges high on the agenda of the 5. North Sea Conference in Bergen in the spring of 2002.

The Presidium shares the deep concern of the Nordic environmental ministers about the impending decision by the British government concerning discharge levels of radioactive substances from Sellafield up till 2006. According to proposals from the British Environmental Agency, discharges at current levels would be permitted, which would result in an actual rise of levels in the Nordic and Arctic region. By taking decisions now to lower the discharges, Great Britain would make a strong effort for reducing manmade discharge of radionucleids in the Northern Seas to a minimum, as required by the OSPAR strategy.

In this context, the Presidium urges Great Britain to pursue the alternative strategy proposed by the Nordic environmental ministers for their colleagues from UK: either lowering the discharge levels for the radioactive substances as fast as possible, or storing waste until the best possible exsisting technology can be employed.

The Presidium notes that the British government recently gave permission to start operating a facility for producing so called MOX fuel in the Sellafield plant. The MOX facility will use plutonium recycled from spent nuclear fuel to manufacture uranium-plutonium fuel pellets to be used in nuclear power plants. The Presidium shares the deep concern felt by the Nordic ministers about possible future discharges caused by this production.

On behalf of the Nordic Council

Svend Erik Hovmand
President