sellafield

Conventional nuclear fuel for reactors

Last edited 28 May 2000 at 8:00am
Publication date: 
28 May, 2000

Nuclear fuel is fabricated from natural uranium imported from overseas by BNFL who operate a fuel fabrication plant at Springfields near Preston and a uranium enrichment plant at Capenhurst in Cheshire. Natural uranium is composed largely of two elements Uranium 235 (U-235) and Uranium 238 (U-238). Whilst this is suitable for making fuel for Britain's ageing Magnox reactors, it has to be enriched before it can made into fuel for the newer advanced Gas-Cooled Reactors (AGRs).

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Good news for the environment as British Energy calls for an end to 'the economic madness' of nuclear reprocessing

Last edited 11 May 2000 at 8:00am
11 May, 2000

Greenpeace today welcomed the news that British Energy, which manages most of the UK's nuclear power plants, has called for an end to nuclear reprocessing at British Nuclear Fuels' Sellafield plant

BNFL's rescue plan woefully inadequate

Last edited 18 April 2000 at 8:00am
18 April, 2000

Today's response by BNFL to February's three damning inspectors' reports on Sellafield is woefully inadequate, Greenpeace said. The environmental group highlighted the continuing threat to human health and the environment from BNFL's nuclear reprocessing plant and BNFL's failure to address fundamental production and quality control problems.

Greenpeace was responding to BNFL's Chief Executive, Norman Askew, who today announced a major management restructuring and a two-year action plan called "Going Forward Safely".

Revelations about BNFL's business and Sellafield

Last edited 17 April 2000 at 8:00am
Publication date: 
25 April, 2000

Two months on after the publication of the three safety reports

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Summary of Greenpeace/Green Action letter to NII

Last edited 17 April 2000 at 8:00am
Publication date: 
17 April, 2002

Fatal shortcomings in the NII's investigation into BNFL falsification of mox fuel data

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Leaked nuclear agency figures back Danish initiative to end nuclear repocessing

Last edited 31 March 2000 at 9:00am
31 March, 2000

A leaked Nuclear Energy Agency report, released today by Greenpeace, contains key evidence which supports Denmark's international initiative to end nuclear reprocessing.

"The industry's own figures prove that Denmark is right to claim that ending reprocessing immediately at Sellafield and La Hague is feasible and would stop the main sources of nuclear pollution," said Greenpeace scientist Dr Helen Wallace, "It is a scandal that this report has been kept hidden for so long."

Greenpeace response to german MOX ban

Last edited 21 March 2000 at 9:00am
21 March, 2000

Greenpeace welcomed today's announcement by German Environment minister Juergen Trittin, that Germany will ban imports of plutonium fuel (MOX) from Britain until it was satisfied with Sellafield's safety standards, as "a good first step to ending Britain's plutonium trade for good".

"BNFL's dreams of a plutonium empire have collapsed," said Greenpeace nuclear campaigner Helen Wallace, "It's time for Tony Blair to bite the bullet and recognise that reprocessing and Mox production are dead-end technologies being promoted by dead-beat company."

Swiss nuclear regulators fly in to investigate safety checks at Sellafield as BNFL chief resigns

Last edited 28 February 2000 at 9:00am
28 February, 2000

Nuclear contamination

Swiss nuclear regulatory officials are today visiting British Nuclear Fuels Ltd's (BNFL) Sellafield site in north-west England, to check on safety data for nuclear fuel exported to Switzerland. 

The visit follows today's reported resignation of BNFL chief executive John Taylor, following the scandal surrounding the falsification of nuclear fuel safety data for plutonium uranium oxide (MOX) fuel sent to Japan and Germany. Switzerland is the only customer continuing to use BNFL MOX fuel.

Greenpeace nuclear campaigner Helen Wallace said, "BNFL's plutonium business is dangerous, polluting and unnecessary whoever is at the helm. A new captain alone cannot save a ship that is heading for the rocks. The Government must chart a new course for BNFL by ending Britain's plutonium trade for good."

Sellafield: The safety crisis

Last edited 21 February 2000 at 9:00am
Publication date: 
28 February, 2000

Different perspectives

Publication date: February 2000

Summary
A summary of statements from the BNFL Environment, Health & Safety Report 1998/99, "Responsible for safety and care for the environment", and the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate (NII) Investigation of Sellafield (6-27 September 1999), published February 2000.

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Damning Sellafield safety reports must lead to shut down of plutonium business

Last edited 18 February 2000 at 9:00am
18 February, 2000
18th February, 2000 - Greenpeace today urged the Government to end nuclear reprocessing and refuse BNFL permission to further commercially develop 'MOX' nuclear fuel following a series of highly critical reports into BNFL's Sellafield site, issued by the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate (NII).


The three reports examined site safety at Sellafield, problems surrounding storage of high level radioactive waste on the site and BNFL's falsification of safety data for plutonium fuel (MOX) sent to Japan.

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