Resolution on Sellafield II, the Nuclear Fuel reprocessing Plant THORP at Sellafield in the UK

The European Parliament,

having regard to the Commission Opinion (92/269/Euratom) indicating approval of the plan for the disposal of radioactive waste from the nuclear fuel reprocessing plant THORP, at Sellafield in the UK,

having regard to its resolution of 15 March 1990 on safety at the Sellafield nuclear plantOJ No. C 96, 17.4.1990, p. 261,

having regard to its resolution of 25 October 1990 on the transport of nuclear waste by ferry and the storage and processing of nuclear wasteOJ No. C 295, 26.11.1990, p. 202,

whereas there is no comparative assessment between the Thorp or Wackersdorf designs or the planned reprocessing facility in Japan and whereas the latter two designs show zero discharges,

whereas the required Environmental Impact Assessment on the proposed discharges from the new THORP reprocessing plant at Sellafield was carried out by BNFL itself,

whereas, according to its operators, BNFL, it is envisaged that the plant, which will be in full operation early in 1993, will, during its 30-year operating life, process up to 21 000 tonnes of spent nuclear fuel transported by boat and plane from the UK, Germany, Sweden, the Netherlands, Italy, Japan, Canada and elsewhere,

whereas there is no reason why Ireland, a neighbouring Member State, which neither produces nor benefits from the nuclear industry, should accept this type of contamination,

Insists on the immediate implementation of liability arrangements in the event of a possible nuclear accident at Sellafield or with one of the shipments of nuclear waste through the Irish Sea;

Is greatly alarmed that a new THORP facility will:

-dispose of low level liquid waste from the marine pipeline into the Irish Sea,

-discharge gaseous waste into the atmosphere from a chimney on the Sellafield site,

-not implement the best available technology to safeguard these discharges;

Points out to the Commission and the Council that the total proposed new discharges will bring the levels of radioactive effluent through the pipeline alone close to the highest levels recorded in the late 1970s;

Is not satisfied, in view of its past record, with the reliability of an EIA carried out by BNFL or that general data concerning the plan for the disposal of radioactive waste originating with BNFL is an adequate basis on which the Commission should provide approval for the plan for the disposal of radioactive waste;

Repeats its call to the Commission for the establishment of an independent authority with the power to:

(a)undertake enquiries into health and safety standards at nuclear plants,

(b)enforce its recommendations through Member States' nuclear installation inspectorates,

(c)revoke the licences of plants which fail to conform to safety standards;

Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the governments and parliaments of the Member States and BNFL.