Date: Thursday, 8th November, 2001
Place: the High Court, The Strand, London, WC2
The Government is being taken to the High Court on Thursday 8th November to prevent the controversial new Sellafield plutonium plant from being opened. The joint legal challenge by Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth means a High Court Judge will judicially review the Government's recent decision to allow state-owned British Nuclear Fuels to give the go-ahead for the mixed oxide or MOX plant at Sellafield. BNFL is expected to switch on the plant later this month.
Friends of the Earth and Greenpeace say that Government's decision is unlawful because:
- the economic 'benefits' of the scheme have been distorted as the £72 million of taxpayers' money spent so far, mostly on constructing the plant, have been disregarded;
- there is insufficient evidence that potential customers, such as the Japanese, will materialise.
The groups also believe that the Government's decision is dangerously irresponsible and could put terrorists closer to obtaining nuclear materials. Sellafield itself may also be a terrorist target because of the plutonium stored there.
Notes to editors:
The MOX plant, completed in 1996, was intended to turn 'spent' plutonium and uranium into usable fuel. However, following financial concerns, and in the wake of the MOX data falsification scandal by BNFL workers, the commercial go-ahead for the plant was withheld. Under EU law, the Government must be able to show - amongst other things - that the economic benefits of the plant outweigh the health and environmental detriments.
Further information:
Contact:
Greenpeace press office on 020 7865 8255 or
Friends of the Earth press office on 020 7566 1649
