Greenpeace Reveals Cogema's Flawed Efforts To Capture Particles

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

GREENPEACE REVEALS PLUTONIUM COMPANY'S FLAWED EFFORTS TO CAPTURE
RADIOACTIVE PARTICLES 
The environmental group challenges government agencies to
investigate 

Cherbourg, 3rd July -- Greenpeace revealed today that Cogema,
the operator of the state-owned La Hague reprocessing plant, has
installed inadequate equipment off the plant's discharge pipe,
30 meters under the sea, in a flawed attempt to prevent the
routine discharge of radioactive particles into the ocean.
Levels of radiation on the outside of the two steel chambers are
so high (up to 500 micro-sieverts each hour) that a no-dive zone
was self imposed by Greenpeace's radio-protection officer.

The data have been collected during diving operations conducted
from the Greenpeace ship MV Sirius on the discharge pipeline,
and have been summarised in a briefing paper by Dr John Large,
an independent consultant engineer on board the Greenpeace ship
(1). 

In October 1997, Cogema denied that there was any significant
problem with the routine discharge of radioactive particles into
the ocean. The recent findings reveal a clandestine and
incompetent attempt to collect the radioactive discharges, in a
way that will not stop dangerous particles from entering the
environment and potentially contaminating the human food chain.

"These chambers are a smoking gun - they reveal that even Cogema
knows it has a problem with dangerous radioactive particles.
Will Cogema now confirm that it is trying to stop dangerous
particles from being discharged and that it is failing?", asked
Shaun Burnie of Greenpeace. "If Cogema is really serious about
preventing the radioactive particles from contaminating the
oceans, it should stop all discharges."

Last week Cogema announced the start of sea-bed dredging
operations, following the accidental release of  approximately
500 kilograms of solid nuclear waste in the summer of 1997. This
new operation will require the removal of the chambers
containing the radioactive particles, but independent analysis
suggests that there has been no adequate preparation for this
operation to be conducted with minimized risk for the
environment and for the workers involved (2). 

Greenpeace has written to the French government requesting
immediate clarification of the situation, and has called for an
investigation into Cogema's current discharge operations.
Greenpeace has also been seeking confirmation from the French
government on the start of the public consultation process for
Cogema's nuclear site and discharge licences, which are now over
12 months overdue. 

According to the environmental group, this latest discovery
shows the inadequacy of the retention systems inside the La
Hague plant, and of the current discharge authorisations applied
to Cogema.

"The French government has utterly failed to control Cogema and
to apply strict regulations on its operations. One cannot help
wonder if the so-called safety authorities have colluded with
Cogema as they have done over contaminated nuclear waste
transports", said Burnie. "The authorities must immediately
prove that they have no tolerance for nuclear companies breaking
the law and act to stop this daily contamination".

In less than one month, the French government along with 14
others from countries in the North-East Atlantic will meet to
discuss ocean pollution issues, including the need to reduce and
eliminate radioactive discharges into the sea. Greenpeace is
demanding that the OSPAR nations commit to an immediate halt to
all discharges from plutonium reprocessing plants, and in
particular that the French government commits to zero discharges
in advance of the Ministerial meeting, which will be held in
Portugal from July 20th to 24th.

Notes:
(1) "Brief critique of Cogema's particle removal operation", Dr
John Large, Large and Associates, London July 1st 1998, for
Greenpeace International. Copies available on request.

(2) Greenpeace has requested that the Government conduct a full
environmental impact of Cogema's dredging operation prior to any
start of activities. In 1997 Greenpeace requested such action
prior to Cogema's pipe cleaning, but it was denied by the
present government on the advice of DSIN. Shortly after, 
approximately 500 kg of solid highly radioactive waste was
`accidentally' dumped from the end of the pipeline.

Greenpeace on the Internet at http://www.greenpeace.org