Toxic waste problem "not solved"
27 January 2006
The Government's own nuclear waste advisers, the Committee on Radioactive Waste Management (CORWM), have concluded in an outline report that, 'If Ministers accept our recommendations, the UK's nuclear waste problem is not solved.'(1)
Green Party Principal Speaker Keith Taylor commented: "On top of the costs, dangers, risks and a failure to truly tackle climate change - nuclear power creates waste that, even after 50 years of nuclear power, we still don't know what to do with.
"The UK is at an energy crossroads. We desperately need to reduce our energy consumption - through energy effciency, and invest in renewable sources of power to create a sustainble supply.
"But the government have failed at every turn, and appear to still view nuclear power as a viable option.
"This latest evidence of nuclear power's problems only adds to what the Green Party have beens saying for years: Nuclear power is unsafe, uneconomic and unsustainable. What is sorely lacking in government is the poltical will and courage to recognise nuclear power for what it is: a nightmare.
"We are still a very long way from resolving the problem of existing waste, never mind creating more.
"Greens advocate energy efficiency as the top priority for addressing energy issues, as well as more investment in the full range of renewable energy technologies. They say that nuclear power will not tackle climate change and that because electricity is only around 20 per cent of our total energy demand, there is also a major challenge to address other carbon pollution sources such as transport."
ENDS
Notes:
(1) The report says:Paragraph 64 : 'If Ministers accept our recommendations, the UK's nuclear waste problem is not solved. Having a strategy is a start. The real challenge follows.'
Extracts from description of status of the report:'The Committee is currently completing the third and final phase of its programme: assessing its short-listed options for managing the UK's radioactive waste and recommending the best option or combination to Government. It decided in autumn 2005 to start preparing its final report, beginning with an outline and introductory Chapters, then progressively adding more material, starting with its work to date and ending with its final conclusions and recommendations. This is the current version of the report.'
GREEN ENERGY WORKS
Join the Green Party's 2006 energy campaign:www.greenenergyworks.org.uk
