Following a long-running battle with British Nuclear Fuels to bring shift pay rates for industrial workers in line with staff side rates, Sellafield’s GMB and Amicus unions have voted this afternoon to take strike action. The Unions must now start the strike within the next 28 days and are required togive BNFL 7 days notice … [Continue Reading]
Removal of Sellafield Discharge Pipelines [No 07/03]
Sellafield’s original and infamous Irish Sea discharge pipelines are to be removed under plans recently announced by BNFL. Unused since they were replaced around 20 years ago , the 10 inch mild steel pipes are to be removed from the sea-bed and shore alongside Sellafield. First constructed in 1950 and stretching over 2000 metres into … [Continue Reading]
Sellafield plutonium shipments in the offing [No 06/03]
The prospect of plutonium transports between UK and Europe has recently been fuelled by a BNFL statement to the industry’s journal Nuclear Fuel (NF). In an article on 4th August, a BNFL spokeswoman confirmed that whilst no plutonium had yet been transported, the company was seeking ways on reaching agreement as to how plutonium transfers … [Continue Reading]
Plans to export Sellafield nuclear waste to Fawley, Southampton for incineration [No 05/03]
In a written presentation to the Sellafield Local Liaison Committee (SLLC) on 5th June, the Environment Agency (EA) revealed plans for both liquid and solid Low Level Radioactive Wastes (LLW) to be shipped from Sellafield for incineration by Shanks Chemical Services at Fawley. British Nuclear Fuels (BNFL) , insolvent operators of the Sellafield Reprocessing site … [Continue Reading]
Lax Security on High Level Waste Ship [No 04/03]
Shipping agents for BNFL’s fleet of radioactive material carriers are carrying out an investigation at Barrow Docks to determine how sensitive documents relating to one of the ships in their care were found blowing around the dockside yesterday. Agents James Fisher & Sons of Barrow have refused to comment any further on the matter. The … [Continue Reading]
Sellafield’s Slap-Happy Security [No 03/03]
Despite the prospect of its ‘Black Special’ security status being raised to ‘Amber’ because of the war in Iraq, protection of the Sellafield site was shown to be as lax as ever last weekend. In broad daylight, two members of the public were twice (within 30 minutes) able to place ladders against the perimeter security … [Continue Reading]
Surprise resignation of BNFL’s Chief Executive [No 02/03]
BNFL’s announcement yesterday that the company’s chief executive Norman Askew is to leave the company in the summer at his own request has taken the nuclear industry by surprise. 60 year old Askew will stay in position until summer 2003, giving BNFL time to recruit a new chief executive. Norman Askew, who had moved from … [Continue Reading]
Sellafield Fatality [No 01/03]
The Sellafield community is mourning the death of a contract worker who fell to his death inside No 1 Windscale Pile reactor chimney on 9th January. No 1 Pile, currently under a programme of decommissioning, was permanently closed down with its sister Pile No 2 in 1957 following the infamous Windscale Fire which released a … [Continue Reading]