NENIG - Northern European Nuclear Information Group NEWS EDITORS: PRESS RELEASE - MARCH 5 1998 SHETLAND NEIGHBOURS ASK FOR HELP NENIG (Northern European Nuclear Information Group), the Shetland organisation opposed to marine pollution from the UK nuclear industry, welcomed the announcement last week by the Nordic Environment Ministers meeting in Sweden. The Ministers have writ ten to the UK government expressing their concern over the discharges from the nuclear plants in Dounreay, Scotland and Sellafield, England. They are particularly worried about the detection of Technetium-99 (Tc-99) found in seawater, shellfish and seawee d along the Norwegian coast, traced to Sellafield. Tc-99 accumulates in shellfish. Lobsters off the Sellafield coast were found to be 82 times over the European safe limit for human consumption. It lasts more than 100,000 years in the environment and accumulates in the thyroid, a vulnerable human organ . British Nuclear Fuels (BNFL), the owners of Sellafield say they do not have the technology to prevent the discharges. Anna Lindh, Chair of the Nordic Council of Ministers, said, " Nordic countries, with their extensive coastlines are particularly vulnerable to pollution of the marine environment. Many countries are very dependent on fisheries and their clean fish ing waters". The UK Environment Minister, last year promised sharp cuts in discharges of nuclear waste at Sellafield. The Environment Agency is carrying out an 8 week public consultation exercise into the application by BNFL for new authorisations to discharge was te into the sea. The consultation ends on 16 March. If BNFL is granted this authorisation, increases in discharges into the air and sea will continue. Rose Young, Campaign Director of NENIG, has written to Nordic politicians, fishermen and environmental organisations urging them to oppose BNFL’s application to discharge and to write to the Environmental Agency before 16 March to register their concer n. " The sea is precious to everyone, especially communities like ours. It’s time the UK did the right thing and accepts that re-processing and discharges must stop. I’d like to thank all the Nordic countries for continuing to remind the UK of their legal, political and moral obligations to its neighbours." A Ministerial Conference of the OSPAR Commission will be held in Lisbon in July 1998. " This will be another opportunity for the Nordic countries to insist that the UK implements their pledge to end its sea discharges of nuclear waste and chemica ls as soon as possible." Rose Young said. " I urge everyone to write to the Environmental Agency (PO Box 33, Gaseous/Liquid Variations, Mitre House, Church Street, Lancaster LA1 1FP, UK) and lodge an objection. We owe it to our children and grandchildren." she said. ENDS For information please contact: Rose Young Tel: +44 1595 809339 Fax: +44 1595 809340 NOTES TO EDITORS: Marine pollution in the NE Atlantic is regulated by the Oslo Convention (1972), which regulates the dumping of wastes at sea; and the Paris Convention (1974) which regulates land based sources of marine pollution accounting for approximately 90% of all marine pollution imputs. In 1992, both conventions were merged as a new treaty called OSPAR Convention for the protection of the NE Atlantic. Contracting parties to the Convention are: Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Iceland, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, the UK, Luxembourg, Switzerland, France, Spain , Portugal, Ireland and the European Commission. NENIG is a non-political organisation, based in Shetland and established in 1987. NENIG provides information and a briefing service to governments, politicians, NGO’s, Fishermen’s associations and other interested parties concerned about developments i n the UK nuclear industry. For more information contact by e-mail: n-base@zetnet.co.uk or visit the website at:http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/n-base