Sellafield leak posed ‘negligible risk’ to Irish public - Environmental Protection Agency

Government officials have said there are no “significant matters” at the Sellafield nuclear site in England that should cause concern in Ireland, despite recent media reports of ongoing safety failures.

Similar reassurances were issued by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) which said it had been kept appraised of a leak at the facility which posed “negligible risk” to the Irish public.

Both EPA and Department of Environment representatives have visited Sellafield, described by the Guardian newspaper as Europe’s most hazardous nuclear site, as recently as last July as part of an ongoing information exchange between the two countries.

The Guardian has published findings from a year-long investigation it claims has uncovered problems with cyber hacking, radioactive leaks and toxic workplace culture.

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On Tuesday, it reported details of an internal memo it said revealed a “cumulative risk” posed by failings in a range of areas including nuclear safety.

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Long a source of anxiety in Ireland, the revelations prompted environmental campaigners to call for a response from the Irish Government, including detailing what they knew about concerns at the site.

The Department of the Environment engages “as appropriate” with the UK Department for Energy Security and Net Zero through the UK-Ireland Contact Group on Radiological Matters.

On Wednesday, a spokesman said officials from both the Department and the EPA had visited Sellafield in July and in 2022 as part of that ongoing engagement.

“The Government is satisfied that, through our officials and regulators, we are being kept abreast of all developments at the Sellafield site,” he said.

“We are satisfied with the level of co-operation being provided by the UK authorities, with regard to the facilities on-site. Despite recent media reports, there are no significant matters that should cause concern for Ireland.”

The EPA maintains communication with the Office for Nuclear Regulation and the Environment Agency in case of “technical matters or other developments of interest at nuclear sites in the UK”.

A spokeswoman said it was aware of the recent media reports and noted that nuclear power generation ceased at the site in 2003, and nuclear fuel reprocessing in 2022, “substantially reducing the risks on the site”.

“EPA has been kept informed by the UK regulators and Sellafield authorities of the ongoing localised leak and the work that is being undertaken to address this,” the spokeswoman said.

“Based on the information provided there is a negligible risk to the Irish public from the leak. EPA will continue to engage” with the UK regulators.

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The Guardian had identified a “worsening leak” from a silo of radioactive waste that, it said, could pose a public risk.

It also said concerns over safety and cracks in a reservoir of “toxic sludge known as B30″ had caused diplomatic tensions with Ireland and other countries, worried that Sellafield “has failed to get a grip of the problems”.

The EPA said it maintains “active and open” communications with the authorities with responsibility for regulation of the Sellafield facility and is aware of the hazards on the site.

It met with these regulators in October and November of this year, the spokeswoman said.

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