nuclear-news

More catastrophic than Chernobyl: danger of a Sellafield nuclear accident

Actual meteorological data from 2008 suggests wind direction and heavy precipitation would disperse fallout that was seven times worse than 1986’s Chernobyl accident.

Sellafield potential disaster for Norwegian food industry The Foreigner — Norwegian News in English,  by Michael Sandelson and Nicoleta-Madalina Sincan.  25th January 2011 An accident at Britain’s Sellafield nuclear processing plant could have catastrophic consequences for western Norway’s food production, according to a new report.

A simulation conducted by the Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority (NRPA/Statens strålevern) concludes an explosion or fire at Sellafield, formerly known as Windscale, could disperse 1 percent of the facility’s total radioactive waste.

Norway’s geographical position and meteorological conditions make the country potentially extremely vulnerable to an uncontrollable disaster, especially Rogaland and Hordaland.

Actual meteorological data from 2008 suggests wind direction and heavy precipitation would disperse fallout that was seven times worse than 1986’s Chernobyl accident.

Food production would be hit hard, particularly sheep and goats. Caesium would first contaminate vegetation, and subsequently be transported to the animals’ milk via their own tissue.

A potential disaster will mean extensive countermeasures would have to be taken for perhaps decades, involving several hundred thousand animals annually, as well as greatly impacting health, the economy, and society.

Updated: Sellafield potential disaster for Norwegian food industry / News / The Foreigner — Norwegian News in English.

January 26, 2011 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | safety, UK