Radwaste Disposal Site Morsleben Proves Safety Risk

["greenbase" <greenbas@gb.greenpeace.org>]

The Radwaste disposalsite Morsleben proves a safety risk

Hamburg/Morsleben, 4.3.97.An internal expert opinion of the Federal Agency for
Radiation Protection (=BfS), which Greenpeace got, shows that the
radwastedisopsalsite of morsleben is not as safe in many areas which were
suoppsed to be .The expert opinion shows that it is not clear whether
pitBartelsleben is not as firm against water from the stones above. So far it
was thought that the pit Marie was the one which is not watertightand not good
as a radwaste site . Now it is proven again that Germanys only final disposal
site is not safe for longterm storage.
in the new expertise which was done by the Federal Office for Geology and
Natural Resources in in commission for BfS, is stated that the pit Bartelsleben
there is no integrity between the saltbarrier and the areas of cavity and the
saltlevel. in the pit there are 26200 cubicmeter disposed of light and medium
active waste. Up to year 2000 there is going to be 55000 cuuicmeter radwaste.
Also the the expertise , which is closed in, proves that German radwaste is
dispode off in a stalactite cavern.Every new barrel of radwaste increases the
risk of a radioactive pollution in and around Morsleben., says Greenpeace
expert Inge Lindemann.The german government has no interest this ot other
significant safety relevantinsights to publish before year 2000. than will the
set term 1990 expire . So they will try to get in as much as possible before
that date. Because the Government fears they will not make it until than they
have prolonged the date til 2005.

the needed planning procedures  which has to be shown where all papers have to
be alright, is not done by BfS but they try to get around it: The Federal
Agency is daeling with Mosleben under their own regime until 2000. The the
Licensing Authority for atomic rights , the Environment Ministry  in
Sachsen-Anhalt will be left out. That means: the German Federal Government is
responsible for Morsleben, has the atomic supervision and is licensing
themselves all the imoportant relevant changes of the utility with Mining
Regulations. That is why they still want to exceed the site with all the safety
risks. In contrary to The Environment Ministry of Sachsen  Anhalt.Bonn seees no
reason to any changesof the site - so that they need no new licensing or any
plannin g procedures.
greenpeace deamnds with this new expertise together with the old known proofs
of safety risks the immediate stop of any more disposals at Morsleben.
Morlsleben is unsafe and has to be closed down. to fill it up, to make repairs
or to widened it a final disposal  which is not tight is a scandal cannot be a
solution for the problens of radioacktive disposal in Germany, says Inge
lindemann.