At the Sellafield plant, considered Europe’s most dangerous, a radioactive waste pit has cracked and continues to grow.
Considered Europe’s most dangerous nuclear power station, Sellafield is facing increasing leakage from a radioactive waste pit, raising concerns about possible risks to people.
The six-square-kilometer plant employs 11,000 people, is responsible for storing and treating nuclear waste from weapons programs, and is Europe’s largest producer of nuclear power.
Investigation
An investigation by The Guardian called Nuclear Leaks revealed fissures and cracks in a reservoir of toxic sludge in a layer of concrete and asphalt covering the Great Lake, which contained decades of nuclear waste. The leak has been identified as one of the “biggest nuclear risks in the UK” and is expected to last until 2050, unless it has “potentially significant consequences”, including groundwater contamination.
The situation created diplomatic tensions between countries such as the United States, Norway and Ireland, which sought to guarantee measures to control the situation. The November 2022 document, accessed by The Guardian, warned of “overall risks” from nuclear safety to issues such as asbestos and fire standards.
Scratches
In response, Sellafield said there was no significant risk to public safety as a result of the issues identified and emphasized transparency about risks at its facilities. The company says all of the cited issues are known and are being resolved with the regulator’s support, regularly posting updates on its website and sharing information at public meetings.
Sellafield says it would take at least 20 years to remove decades of nuclear waste from a facility MSSS that has been in place since the 1960s. According to The Guardian, the leaks have been happening for more than three years.
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