A major MoD nuclear submarine base in Faslane near Glasgow yesterday released information under the Freedom of Information Act detailing a number of embarrassing incidents involving nuclear and radioactive waste and admitted inadequate staff training for employees.
Angus Robertson MP, Leader of the Scottish National Party Westminster, and their Defence spokesperson commented,
“This utterly damning disclosure reveals repeated and serious nuclear safety breaches, and the MoD cannot be above the law. We are not talking about a one off incident but a whole catalogue of serious and frankly shocking failures.”
The released document highlighted incidents such as radioactive waste tanks that need to be taken out of service due to a build-up of radioactive sludge making them a growing risk, insufficient staff training at the site and poorly maintained and leaking pipes that were releasing radioactive effluent. however the MoD maintains that the level of radioactivity was low so there would not be any threat to humans or to the environment, but admit that an improvement plan is being implemented at the base.
The safety breaches have led to criticism from the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency who have asked the UK Government to put the base under their jurisdiction to enable them to take action and enforce nuclear safety regulations. Sepa commented that if they had legal power over the base, they would close it down on the basis of concern for public safety. Despite their calls, the UK government refused to put the base under Sepa’s control reasoning that it is a matter of national security.
Angus Robertson stated,
“It is not good enough to say the MoD is exempt from radioactive safety regulations, and Ministers must be held to account. We need an immediate and top level investigation into this scandal.”
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Tags: leakage, MoD, nuclear, nuclear waste