PLUTONIUM WASTE SHIPMENT LEAVES CHERBOURG. GREENPEACE WARNS EN-ROUTE STATES OF IMMINENT THREAT

AMSTERDAM, January 13th, 1997

At around 7.00 am today, the controversial high level nuclear waste shipment departed the port of Cherbourg, France, bound for Japan. The transport has left under a veil of secrecy and sails directly into the growing opposition of countries around the planet.

As the "Pacific Teal" left Cherbourg, Greenpeace warned all potential en-route governments that the departure of the plutonium waste shipment meant that the environment of their coastal waters was now under imminent threat. Most immediately threatened was France itself, followed by Spain and Portugal.

"Despite their promises, the Japanese and French Governments have as yet given no indication of what route this ship will take and they have failed to alleviate concerns raised around the world about the safety of the transport," said Damon Moglen of Greenpeace International.

The hazardous nuclear cargo on-board the Pacific Teal contains 40 glassified blocks of highly radioactive nuclear waste. The material is so intensely radioactive that a person standing nearby a single unshielded glass block would receive a lethal dose of radiation in less than 60 seconds. The transport on the Teal is the second of a series of global waste shipments involving the movement of over 3,000 blocks of plutonium waste in the course of the next ten to fifteen years.

The first shipment in February 1995 on-board the Pacific Pintail witnessed Portuguese and Spanish naval vessels deployed to protect their 200-mile exclusive economic zone from the shipment.

The Teal's departure coincides with new evidence linking the La Hague plutonium reprocessing plant with leukemia cancers in the area around Cherbourg. In the article published on January 10th in the British Medical Journal Professor Viel, the French epidemiologist who conducted the study, suggests that the plant's radioactive contamination of beaches and local fish and shellfish may be the cause.

"With the departure of the Teal, the health threat posed by plutonium reprocessing inflicted upon the people of northern France is today being exported to countries around the planet. The nuclear industry has decided to disregard political and public opposition to this unjustified and dangerous shipment. Governments should act immediately to prohibit the Teal and all other nuclear waste and plutonium shipments from their coastal waters. Ultimately, the only way to end this nuclear nightmare is for the international community to stop the global plutonium economy," said Jean-Luc Thierry, nuclear campaigner of Greenpeace France.

Since December, the MV Greenpeace ship has been touring Caribbean nations to highligh the threat posed by nuclear shipments through the region. In addition, the Rainbow Warrior has been campaigning in southern Argentina and Chile near Cape Horn in opposition to nuclear shipments. In 1995, the Pacific Pintail routed around Cape Horn on its way to Japan. end

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Damon Moglen: Greenpeace International - Paris +33 1 53438585

OR

Jean-Luc Thierry: Greenpeace France - Cherbourg - +33 233932800

OR

Luisa Colasimone, Greenpeace International Press Desk, +31 20 52 49 546