Nuclear watchdog raises concerns over failure to prosecute AWE Aldermaston
Environmental group says watchdog lacks teeth over waste control
A LOCAL environmental group says a Government nuclear watchdog lacks teeth, after it was revealed AWE Aldermaston will not be prosecuted for failing to treat radioactive nuclear waste stocks accumulated at the site.
The Reading-based, Nuclear Awareness Group (NAG), is demanding answers, after writing to the government’s nuclear safety regulator – the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) – to ask why the Atomic Weapons Establishment, which manufactures and maintains the country's nuclear deterrent, Trident, will not be prosecuted over the issue.
Documents obtained under the Freedom of Information Act show proposals to compact 1,000 drums of radioactive waste were rejected by AWE as being too expensive, according to NAG, whose spokeswoman, Evelyn Parker, pointed out anyone who missed a deadline issued by a local council to clear up dangerous rubbish dumped in their garden would receive a court summons.
“Yet the Office for Nuclear Regulation has let the Atomic Weapons Establishment off the hook for a far more serious offence, even though the company was given seven years to bring its radioactive waste under control, ignored a formal warning that work was proceeding too slowly, and ultimately put savings before safety.”
The lack of any prosecution, she said, raised big questions about ONR’s effectiveness as a safety watchdog, which had ‘zero credibility,’ after an ‘epic failure’ to take decisive action.
“AWE is able to thumb its nose at legal requirements imposed by ONR because the regulator is too timid to take meaningful action against them.”
In 2007, the ONR issued a licence instrument instructing AWE to reduce in volume and encapsulate 1,000 drums of intermediate level radioactive waste stored at the company’s Aldermaston site, but the licence instrument expired on 20 February 2014 with AWE in breach of this.
The ONR – which has not ruled out further enforcement action against AWE – said it would not be prosecuting, as radioactive waste stored at AWE was ‘acceptable,’ and did not give rise to “significant risk to the public or the workforce”.
An AWE spokesperson said AWE would continue to work closely with the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, ONR and and other organisations holding nuclear site licences, to find a long-term UK wide solution for nuclear waste.
“Delivering safe and secure operations is a core priority for AWE, as is continuous improvement in environmental performance across all operations and processes.”
A November 2005 MoD Site Development Context Plan revealed AWE planned additional capacity to store intermediate level radioactive nuclear waste through to 2025 and beyond this date at the company’s Aldermaston and Burghfield sites.
For more information about NAG visit www.nuclearawarenessgroup.org.uk/.