Mist escapes at N-plant

Press, 7 February 1986, Page 6

Mist escapes at N-plant

NZPA-PA London A protest group has called for the Sellafield nuclear reprocessing plant in north-west England to be shut down after an escape of radioactive plutonium mist. “It is now time that the plant is closed for good - it is never going to get any better,” said a spokesman for Cumbrians Opposed to Radioactive Environment. Initial tests on 70 workers using face and nose swabs proved negative, but the plant’s “whole body” monitor was on stand-by if needed.

A radiation alert was flashed through the plant, which is run by British Nuclear Fuels, after the escape from a pump unit in one building. The company said it believed the mist had not escaped into the atmosphere outside. Thirty non-essential staff were moved out but 40 other staff remained in the building until the end of their shifts. All underwent tests.

The environmental group, Greenpeace, said, “This is one more in an ever-increasing list of accidents at the plant.”

B.N.F. was fined £lO,OOO last year for a radioactive leak from Sellafield that contaminated 42km of Cumbrian coastline in 1983.

The release yesterday of plutonium radioactivity happened in the decanning plant, where spent uranium rods from nuclear power stations are stripped down ready for reprocessing. B.N.F. said, “The release, in the form of a mist, was detected in one building by installed monitoring equipment and the source of the radioactivity was immediately identi-

fied as a pump unit on a sampling line that was under maintenance.

“Preliminary indications are that no member of staff was seriously contaminated and detailed checks are being carried out.

“There were no implications for the rest of the site and none for the general public.”

In the Commons the Speaker refused a Liberal request for an emergency debate. But the Shadow Environment Secretary, Dr John Cunningham, said he may demand a Government statement.