Sellafield Nuclear Site Has Leak That Could Pose Risk To Public

An anonymous reader quotes a report from The Guardian: Sellafield, Europe's most hazardous nuclear site, has a worsening leak from a huge silo of radioactive waste that could pose a risk to the public, the Guardian can reveal. Concerns over safety at the crumbling building, as well as cracks in a reservoir of toxic sludge known as B30, have caused diplomatic tensions with countries including the US, Norway and Ireland, which fear Sellafield has failed to get a grip of the problems. The leak of radioactive liquid from one of the "highest nuclear hazards in the UK" -- a decaying building at the vast Cumbrian site known as the Magnox swarf storage Silo (MSSS) -- is likely to continue to 2050. That could have "potentially significant consequences" if it gathers pace, risking contaminating groundwater, according to an official document. Cracks have also developed in the concrete and asphalt skin covering the huge pond containing decades of nuclear sludge, part of a catalogue of safety problems at the site. These concerns have emerged in Nuclear Leaks, a year-long Guardian investigation into problems spanning cyber hacking, radioactive contamination and toxic workplace culture at the vast nuclear dump. "We are proud of our safety record at Sellafield and we are always striving to improve," said a Sellafield spokesperson in a statement. "The nature of our site means that until we complete our mission, our highest hazard facilities will always pose a risk. We continuously measure and report on nuclear, radiological, and conventional safety. Employees are empowered to raise issues and challenge when things aren't right."

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