Background briefing on the BNFL's 'fundamentally flawed' management.
Publication date: February 2000
Summary
MOX fuel is a mixture of reprocessed plutonium and uranium and is intended to be used in conventional nuclear reactors as a way of burning up the plutonium. This plutonium was originally meant for use in "fast breeder" nuclear reactors. However, this plan failed for technical and safety reasons In spite of this failure, a growing stockpile of weapons useable reprocessed plutonium is still being built up at Sellafield, with no realistic prospect of any future use. BNFL operates a small-scale MOX demonstration facility (MDF), and has already built a full-scale plant, which is awaiting Government approval to start up. In the meantime, BNFL continues adding to its plutonium stockpile by continuing reprocessing nuclear waste fuel.
