British nuclear subs repeatedly leaked radioactive material Stephen C. Webster

Published: Sunday April 26, 2009





Print This Email This The British Ministry of Defense caused shock on Monday when it disclosed, in response to a Freedom of Information request, that nuclear submarines at its Faslane base have leaked radioactive material at least eight times in the last decade.



"The worst breaches include three leaks of radioactive coolant from nuclear submarines in 2004, 2007 and 2008 into the Firth of Clyde, while last year a radioactive waste plant manager was replaced," reported the Guardian. "It emerged he had no qualifications in radioactive waste management.



"The repeated safety breaches, which have been revealed in documents released to Channel 4 News, are so serious that the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (Sepa) has warned that it would consider closing the base down if it had the legal powers to do so."



The HM Naval Base Clyde, located at Faslane near Glasgow, is where the United Kingdom stations its Trident nuclear rockets and nuclear-powered submarines.



"The MoD insists that none of the radioactive leaks have threatened human health or the environment since the radioactivity was at very low levels," reported the Herald.



"The MoD is legally exempt from the civil radioactive safety regulations policed by Sepa but promised the agency a number of times it would voluntarily uphold those laws at the base.



"Sepa is said to have agreed the risks appeared slight but argued that in many cases, Faslane workers failed to measure the amount of effluent which leaked or detect the leaks until after the incident."



"The most damning report, produced by the MoD in September 2008 after complaints by Sepa, states that failing to abide by safety procedures is a 'recurring theme' at Faslane," reported U TV. "'This is a cultural issue that HM Naval Base Clyde needs to find a way to address,' it says. The 100-page report, released by Sepa to Channel 4 News, concludes that many of the ageing facilities used to process, store and dispose of radioactive waste at Faslane are not fit for purpose.



"Other documents disclose that there have been at least eight radioactive leaks in the last 10 years, bringing the total number acknowledged at Faslane over the last three decades to more than 40.



"The MoD admits its facilities fail to meet safety standards requiring that the 'best practicable means' are used to control waste. In one case, the poor design of holding tanks has meant radioactive sludge has built up, which presents a 'significant radiation hazard'. Those tanks are now going to be taken out of service."



"Civil radioactive safety regulations do not apply to MoD sites but the department has previously said it would volunteer to uphold them at the base," noted the Scottsman.



"The Ministry of Defence said it had commissioned an independent study and an improvement plan was under way," reported the BBC.





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