No more imported nuclear waste for Dounreay (5 Jun 98)

Scottish CND today welcomed the government's announcement that they would no longer be importing nuclear waste for reprocessing at Dounreay. However we oppose the continuation of reprocessing work at the site.

"We are glad that the government will no longer be travelling around the globe offering to dispose of the world's nuclear waste at Dounreay. However we are concerned that despite their appalling track record the UKAEA still intends to do more nuclear reprocessing in Caithness. They still want to turn 14 tonnes of used fuel, which is today at Dounreay, into bomb-grade Plutonium and Uranium, polluting the Pentland Firth in the process."

said John Ainslie, Administrator, Scottish Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament.

BACKGROUND

The Fast Breeder Reactor closed in 1994. The UKAEA have said that they want to reprocess 14 tonnes of used fuel from this, plus material from Georgia and elsewhere.

However the reprocessing plants are not working at the moment. UKAEA are still seeking permission from the NII and SEPA to restart reprocessing work.

Scottish CND's prefered option for used fuel is for it to be stored above ground.

Dounreay