press releases

Our campaign against nuclear power in Japan

The numbers of people who suffered radiation exposure during the nuclear accident at the Tokaimura uranium plant was almost certainly higher than the Government estimates of forty-nine due to the high levels of neutron radiation, coupled with the slow evacuation of the area, Greenpeace said today, based on results of an investigation around the site.

Releasing the monitoring results in Mito city and Tokyo today, Greenpeace said that it had found evidence of radioactive fallout. Greenpeace also found high radiation levels on a public road near the plant on Sunday - 24 hours after the all-clear was given by the Government - and compelling evidence of high levels of neutron radiation. Neutron radiation is the most penetrating and one of the most dangerous forms of radiation.

A paper to be published in the prestigious scientific journal Nature on 7th October demolishes the key assumption underlying the international safety regulation of GM food. The concept of "substantial equivalence" [1] has formed the basis of many food safety systems around the world (including the UK) but three scientists [2] writing in Nature have condemned this assumption as a 'pseudo-scientific concept' serving the interests of big business. The critique could destabilise America's aggressive stance on GM food and crops at World Trade Organisation negotiations.

An international report published today (4/10/99) names the major 150 companies involved in the logging of ancient forests around the world. The report - 'Buying Destruction' - compiled by Greenpeace, profiles major logging and wood trading companies active in the ancient forests of Brazil, Guyana, Chile and Suriname, Cameroon and Gabon, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Canada and Russia.

Tokaimura, Oct 4, 1999 - A public road close to the scene of last Thursday's nuclear accident in Japan has been reopened despite levels of radiation remaining well above background levels.

The Genken Road was reopened to the public after Chief Secretary to the Cabinet, Hiromu Nonaka stated: "We have confirmed that the radiation levels, even in the area 350 metres from the plant have returned to normal."

But measurements taken by a Greenpeace team on Sunday revealed levels of radioactivity to be five times background levels.

Commenting on the nuclear accident today at the Tokai uranium processing plant in Japan, Greenpeace said:

"The Japanese nuclear accident is a deadly reminder of the inescapable dangers of nuclear power."

"Japanese grasp of technology is world reknowned and second to none. But when it comes to nuclear power they are in the same boat as the operators of Windscale, Three Mile Island and Chernobyl. Mixing human fallibility and nuclear physics is not worth the risk."

Fukui politicians speak out against British Nuclear Fuels Ltd (BNFL)

Warns that EU Commission's weakness jeopardizes early shutdown of other dangerous reactors in CEE

Greenpeace today expressed deep concern over attempts by agrochemical company, Monsanto, to promote unwanted GM technology by saying it will genetically manipulate plants so that they can produce biodegradable plastic.

Biodegradable alternatives to oil based plastics already exist - and they are produced without the necessity to genetically manipulate plants and without the need to contaminate the environment with living, genetic pollution in the process.

Ten major food companies that guarantee European consumers their food products are free of genetically modified ingredients continue to hide those ingredients in American's foods, say documents released today by Greenpeace. Last month, Greenpeace requested information from each of these companies on their policies regarding the use of genetically modified (GM) ingredients in the U.S. To date, none of the companies has responded.

Tokyo, September 28th 1999 - A cargo of deadly weapons-usable plutonium MOX fuel is expected to travel today through the pristine environment of northern Japan, through the Tsugaru Straits and past the island of Hokkaido, warned Greenpeace. The two British-flagged armed freighters, the Pacific Pintail, carrying some 225kg of weapons-usable plutonium in half a ton of MOX fuel, and the now empty Pacific Teal, began the three-day journey from Fukushima on Monday afternoon, bound for the Takahama nuclear facility in Fukui prefecture.