Latest news with #radioactive
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Sellafield could leak until 2050s, MPs warn
The UK's largest nuclear site could continue leaking radioactive water until the 2050s, MPs have warned, while its clean-up operations struggle to progress quickly enough. The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) criticised the speed of decommissioning work at Sellafield in Cumbria, citing "cost overruns and continuing safety concerns" in a report published on Wednesday. Although the committee noted there were "signs of improvement", PAC chairman Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown said Sellafield continued to present "intolerable risks". The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) acknowledged the leak at its Magnox Swarf Storage Silo (MSSS) was its "single biggest environmental issue". The MSSS, which the NDA described as "the most hazardous building in the UK", has been leaking radioactive water into the ground since 2018, releasing enough to fill an Olympic swimming pool every three years. It is likely to continue leaking until the oldest section of the building has been emptied in the 2050s, about a decade later than previously expected. Sir Geoffrey said: "As with the fight against climate change, the sheer scale of the hundred-year timeframe of the decommissioning project makes it hard to grasp the immediacy of safety hazards and cost overruns that delays can have. "Every day at Sellafield is a race against time to complete works before buildings reach the end of their life. "Our report contains too many signs that this is a race that Sellafield risks losing." Pointing to the fact that Sellafield Ltd had missed most of its annual targets for retrieving waste from buildings, including the MSSS, the committee warned: "The consequence of this underperformance is that the buildings are likely to remain extremely hazardous for longer." A spokeswoman for the NDA said the "leak in the Magnox Swarf Storage Silo is contained and does not pose a risk to the public". "Regulators accept that the current plan to tackle the leak is the most effective one." Sir Geoffrey said it was of "vital importance that the government grasp the daily urgency of the work taking place at Sellafield and shed any sense of a far-off date of completion for which no-one currently living is responsible". "Sellafield's risks and challenges are those of the present day. "There are some early indications of some improvement in Sellafield's delivery, which our report notes. "The government must do far more to hold all involved immediately accountable to ensure these do not represent a false dawn, and to better safeguard both the public purse and the public itself." Sellafield ceased generating electricity in 2003 and, in addition to work cleaning up the site, now processes and stores nuclear waste from power plants around the UK. The government plans to create an underground geological disposal facility (GDF) to store nuclear waste for the thousands of years it will take to become safe. But the committee said delays in creating the GDF, which is now not expected to be complete until the late 2050s, meant more costs for Sellafield. NDA chief executive David Peattie said it welcomed the report, adding it took the "findings seriously and the safety of the site and the wellbeing of our people will always be our highest priorities". "We are pleased they recognise improvements in delivering major projects and that we are safely retrieving waste from all four highest hazard facilities." The PAC expressed concern there was a "sub-optimal culture" at Sellafield and called on the NDA to publish information about the prevalence and perception of bullying in its annual report. The NDA spokeswoman said: "We're committed to an open and respectful culture and we've taken decisive action to enable this, including strengthening our whistleblowing policy." The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero said it "expected the highest standards of safety and security as former nuclear sites are dismantled, and the regulator is clear that public safety is not compromised at Sellafield". "This is underpinned by monthly performance reviews and increased responsibility for overseeing major project performance, enabling more direct scrutiny and intervention," a spokeswoman for the department said. "We have zero tolerance of bullying, harassment and offensive behaviour in the workplace - we expect Sellafield and the NDA to operate on this basis, investigate allegations and take robust action when needed." Follow BBC Cumbria on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram. Leak is Sellafield's 'biggest environmental issue' GMB warns over potential nuclear plant Budget cuts Nuclear site runs up 'considerable' costs - report Plan for new building to store radioactive waste Sellafield Ltd Public Accounts Committee
The Independent
6 days ago
- Health
- The Independent
Report lays out ‘failure' at nuclear power plant
A report by MPs warns that the Sellafield nuclear power plant may continue to leak radioactive water into the 2050s due to the slow decommissioning progress. The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) criticised the process at Sellafield for "failure, cost overruns, and continuing safety concerns", despite some signs of improvement. The Magnox Swarf Storage Silo, considered the UK's most hazardous building, has been leaking radioactive water since 2018. The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) acknowledges the leak as its "single biggest environmental issue". However, the NDA said that it is contained and does not pose a risk to the public, with regulators approving the current plan to manage it. The PAC raised concerns about a "sub-optimal culture" at Sellafield, pointing to non-disclosure agreements and calling for transparency regarding bullying, while the NDA said it is committed to an open and respectful culture. Britain's 'most hazardous building' could leak radioactive water for 30 more years, MPs warn
BBC News
6 days ago
- Health
- BBC News
Sellafield could leak radioactive water until 2050s, MPs warn
The UK's largest nuclear site could continue leaking radioactive water until the 2050s, MPs have warned, while its clean-up operations struggle to progress quickly Public Accounts Committee (PAC) criticised the speed of decommissioning work at Sellafield in Cumbria, citing "cost overruns and continuing safety concerns" in a report published on Wednesday. Although the committee noted there were "signs of improvement", PAC chairman Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown said Sellafield continued to present "intolerable risks".The Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) acknowledged the leak at its Magnox Swarf Storage Silo (MSSS) was its "single biggest environmental issue". The MSSS, which the NDA described as "the most hazardous building in the UK", has been leaking radioactive water into the ground since 2018, releasing enough to fill an Olympic swimming pool every three is likely to continue leaking until the oldest section of the building has been emptied in the 2050s, about a decade later than previously Geoffrey said: "As with the fight against climate change, the sheer scale of the hundred-year timeframe of the decommissioning project makes it hard to grasp the immediacy of safety hazards and cost overruns that delays can have."Every day at Sellafield is a race against time to complete works before buildings reach the end of their life. "Our report contains too many signs that this is a race that Sellafield risks losing." Pointing to the fact that Sellafield Ltd had missed most of its annual targets for retrieving waste from buildings, including the MSSS, the committee warned: "The consequence of this underperformance is that the buildings are likely to remain extremely hazardous for longer."A spokeswoman for the NDA said the "leak in the Magnox Swarf Storage Silo is contained and does not pose a risk to the public". "Regulators accept that the current plan to tackle the leak is the most effective one." 'False dawn' Sir Geoffrey said it was of "vital importance that the government grasp the daily urgency of the work taking place at Sellafield and shed any sense of a far-off date of completion for which no-one currently living is responsible"."Sellafield's risks and challenges are those of the present day."There are some early indications of some improvement in Sellafield's delivery, which our report notes. "The government must do far more to hold all involved immediately accountable to ensure these do not represent a false dawn, and to better safeguard both the public purse and the public itself." Sellafield ceased generating electricity in 2003 and, in addition to work cleaning up the site, now processes and stores nuclear waste from power plants around the government plans to create an underground geological disposal facility (GDF) to store nuclear waste for the thousands of years it will take to become the committee said delays in creating the GDF, which is now not expected to be complete until the late 2050s, meant more costs for chief executive David Peattie said it welcomed the report, adding it took the "findings seriously and the safety of the site and the wellbeing of our people will always be our highest priorities"."We are pleased they recognise improvements in delivering major projects and that we are safely retrieving waste from all four highest hazard facilities." The PAC expressed concern there was a "sub-optimal culture" at Sellafield and called on the NDA to publish information about the prevalence and perception of bullying in its annual NDA spokeswoman said: "We're committed to an open and respectful culture and we've taken decisive action to enable this, including strengthening our whistleblowing policy."The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero said it "expected the highest standards of safety and security as former nuclear sites are dismantled, and the regulator is clear that public safety is not compromised at Sellafield"."This is underpinned by monthly performance reviews and increased responsibility for overseeing major project performance, enabling more direct scrutiny and intervention," a spokeswoman for the department said. "We have zero tolerance of bullying, harassment and offensive behaviour in the workplace - we expect Sellafield and the NDA to operate on this basis, investigate allegations and take robust action when needed." Follow BBC Cumbria on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
The Independent
6 days ago
- Health
- The Independent
Britain's ‘most hazardous building' could leak radioactive water for 30 more years, MPs warn
A report by MPs has warned that one of Britain's most dangerous buildings may continue to leak radioactive water well into the 2050s, as decommissioning efforts at Sellafield struggle to keep pace. The Commons Public Accounts Committee (PAC) released a report on Wednesday, criticising the slow progress of decommissioning work at the former nuclear power plant, citing "failure, cost overruns, and continuing safety concerns". PAC chairman Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown acknowledged "signs of improvement" but stressed that Sellafield continues to pose "intolerable risks". He said that the scale of the decommissioning project makes it difficult to grasp the urgency of safety hazards and cost overruns. "Every day at Sellafield is a race against time to complete works before buildings reach the end of their life," he said, adding that the report indicates Sellafield risks losing this race. The Magnox Swarf Storage Silo (MSSS), described by the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) as "the most hazardous building in the UK," highlights these risks. Since 2018, the MSSS has been leaking radioactive water into the ground, releasing enough water to fill an Olympic swimming pool every three years. This leakage is expected to persist until the oldest section of the building is emptied in the 2050s, approximately a decade later than initially projected. Pointing to the fact that Sellafield Ltd had missed most of its annual targets for retrieving waste from buildings, including the MSSS, the committee warned: 'The consequence of this underperformance is that the buildings are likely to remain extremely hazardous for longer.' The NDA has acknowledged that the leak is its 'single biggest environmental issue', and a spokeswoman said managing it and retrieving waste from the MSSS was 'our highest priority'. She added: 'As the report says, the leak in the Magnox Swarf Storage Silo is contained and does not pose a risk to the public. Regulators accept that the current plan to tackle the leak is the most effective one.' Sir Geoffrey said: 'It is of vital importance that the Government grasp the daily urgency of the work taking place at Sellafield, and shed any sense of a far-off date of completion for which no-one currently living is responsible. 'Sellafield's risks and challenges are those of the present day. 'There are some early indications of some improvement in Sellafield's delivery, which our report notes. Government must do far more to hold all involved immediately accountable to ensure these do not represent a false dawn, and to better safeguard both the public purse and the public itself.' Sellafield ceased generating electricity in 2003 and, in addition to work cleaning up the site, now processes and stores nuclear waste from power plants around the UK. In the longer term, the Government plans to create an underground geological disposal facility (GDF) to store nuclear waste for the thousands of years it will take to become safe. But the committee said delays in creating the GDF, which is now not expected to be done until the late 2050s, meant more costs for Sellafield as it required more storage facilities. NDA chief executive David Peattie said he welcomed the PAC's scrutiny and would consider how best to address its recommendations. He said: 'We take the findings seriously and the safety of the site and the wellbeing of our people will always be our highest priorities. 'As the committee has noted, Sellafield is the most complex and challenging nuclear site in the UK. We are pleased they recognise improvements in delivering major projects and that we are safely retrieving waste from all four highest hazard facilities. 'With the support of our employees, their representatives, community and stakeholders, we remain committed to driving forward improved performance and continuing to deliver our nationally important mission safely, securely and sustainably.' As well as criticising delays in clean-up operations and calling for an overhaul of how the site functions, the PAC expressed concern that there was a 'sub-optimal culture' at Sellafield. The committee pointed to the 16 non-disclosure agreements signed by Sellafield Ltd in the last 16 years, and called on the NDA to publish information about the prevalence and perception of bullying in its annual report. The NDA spokeswoman said: 'We're committed to an open and respectful culture and we've taken decisive action to enable this, including strengthening our whistleblowing policy. 'Evidence shows the improvements are working and the report acknowledges the improvement in staff survey results over recent years, but we are never complacent and will continue to strive to ensure the NDA group is a place where everyone feels respected and empowered to raise issues, knowing that they will be acted upon appropriately. 'As the report notes, it is one of the conditions of Sellafield's nuclear site licence to have a robust process for reporting safety issues and the independent nuclear regulator has given the site a green rating of compliance.'
The Guardian
28-05-2025
- Health
- The Guardian
Fukushima soil headed to Japan PM's flower beds to allay nuclear safety fears
Slightly radioactive soil from near the damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant will be transported to Tokyo and used in flower beds in the prime minister's garden, in an attempt to prove to a skeptical public that the material is safe. The decision comes 14 years after the plant suffered a triple meltdown in the world's worst nuclear accident since Chornobyl. The sample will be taken from 14 million cubic metres of soil – enough to fill 10 baseball stadiums – that has been removed from near the plant during work to make local neighbourhoods fit for the return of evacuated residents. The soil is in temporary storage at a vast site near the plant, but authorities have struggled to make progress on a legal obligation to find permanent homes for the material outside Fukushima by 2045. The government has suggested the material, which it describes as low risk, could be used to build roads and other infrastructure in other parts of Japan. It would be used as foundation material and covered with topsoil thick enough to keep radiation at negligible levels. Officials said they hoped the gesture by the prime minister, Shigeru Ishiba, would convince other locations that accepting quantities of the soil would not pose a risk to public health or the environment. 'The government will take the lead in setting an example, and we will do so at the prime minister's office,' the chief cabinet secretary, Yoshimasa Hayashi, said at a meeting held to discuss the issue. The Fukushima Daiichi plant released large quantities of radiation into the atmosphere after it was struck by a powerful earthquake and tsunami on 11 March 2011. The disaster knocked out the facility's backup power supply, sending three of its reactors into meltdown. Although most of neighbourhoods that were evacuated after the disaster have been declared safe, many residents are reluctant to return. Some are concerned about the potential health effects – particularly on children – of living in former no-go zones, while others have built new lives elsewhere. Work to remove 880 tonnes of highly dangerous damaged fuel from reactor containment vessels has barely begun. So far, specially designed devices have successfully retrieved two tiny samples of fuel, but removing all of it is expected to take decades and cost trillions of yen. The plant's operator, Tokyo Electric Power, has also had to contend with huge quantities of water that becomes contaminated when it is used to cool the damaged reactors. In 2023, the utility started pumping treated water – with all but one radioactive element removed – into the Pacific Ocean, triggering an angry response from China and South Korea. The removal of topsoil, trees and other debris from near homes, schools, medical facilities and other public buildings created a stockpile of contaminated waste that now fills a site straddling the towns of Futaba and Okuma, located close to the plant. The material does not include any debris from inside Fukushima Daiichi. In its final report on the recycling and disposal of the soil last year, the International Atomic Energy Agency said the work had been consistent with its safety standards. But the public is yet to be convinced. Last month, local opposition forced the environment ministry to abandon a pilot project to use some of the Fukushima soil as landfill for flower beds and lawns at public parks in and around Tokyo.
