Greenpeace today published aerial photographs of British Nuclear Fuel's Sellafield nuclear complex in Cumbria to show people the sheer scale and range of nuclear activities that go on there. The pictures pin-point many of the dangerous processes that take place at the plant, which pollute the environment and result in highly radioactive material being transported across the UK. These include the Calder Hall reactor, the THORP plutonium reprocessing facility (one of the biggest buildings in Europe) and the controversial new MOX fuel plant which the Government hopes to open in December.
The main photograph published on the Greenpeace website is likely to be illegal under the Government's proposed Terrorism, Crime and Security Bill which contains measures to stop people publishing information on nuclear technologies, nuclear sites and the transport of nuclear materials and carries a prison sentence of up to seven years (1). The Bill is expected to become law in less than four weeks and would impact on both journalists and campaign groups.
Greenpeace is concerned that if this Bill becomes law Sellafield would be able to operate under even more secrecy than it does already. People would be prevented from knowing if the plant wanted to increase its discharges into the air or sea or increase the amount of highly radioactive material transported to and from Sellafield. The wide range of nuclear facilities at Sellafield also increase the likelihood of the plant or its transports being targeted by terrorists.
Bridget Woodman, Greenpeace nuclear campaigner said,
"Many people are unaware of the sheer scale of Sellafield. It is much more than a nuclear power station. It is the size of a small town packed full of different and dangerous nuclear plants and storage facilities. People have a right to know about the dangerous processes at Sellafield and the different types of highly radioactive material stored there. Greenpeace will continue to publish any information that is in the public interest about Sellafield or any other nuclear site."
The publication of this information could shortly become illegal if the Government's Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Bill becomes law within the next few weeks. The bill would prevent publication of information that might 'prejudice the security of any nuclear site or any nuclear material' and carries a sentence of up to seven years for offenders. Greenpeace is running a national campaign against the measures in the Bill and on Tuesday (20th) revealed the results and photographs of surveillance of a secret nuclear shipment at Scrabster in North Scotland. On Monday (19th), Greenpeace published a newspaper advert showing a map of nuclear waste train routes through central London, with internet links to the train timetables.
Bridget Woodman added
"Restricting information or photographs about Sellafield will not prevent the threat of terrorism. If the Government believes that what happens at this nuclear complex is a threat to our national security then it is the nuclear plants at Sellafield that should be shut down rather than the public's access to information about the nuclear industry."
Greenpeace press office on 020 7865 8255
