Wylfa provides potential for dirty bombs

by Carl Iwan Clowes
(Rhoscefnhir)

You grind the people to the floor, create the poorest economic statistics for the whole of the UK and then offer them a nuclear power station creating a highly toxic radioactive waste dump on their back door for the next 160 years.

Brilliant thinking. If it`s so safe - and remember Wylfa has been fined for serious breaches of safety - let it be built in an area where most of the electricity will be used.

Perhaps the words of the Office for Nuclear Development spokesperson in Wylfa recently are relevant "they have to be located in remote areas" !!

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Comments for Wylfa provides potential for dirty bombs

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Jul 12, 2011

first
by: Anonymous

first

Apr 07, 2010

More on half truths
by: Anonymous

Mr Clowes is good at taking facts in isolation.

His comment about radiation in hospitals ignores the potential to use such machines to produce dirty bombs.

How are such materials dealt with after they come to the end of their useful lives? In the same way as any heavily radioactive material from a nuclear power station.

He has conveniently ignored any mention of the very real threat to our planet from global warming in his summary of energy sources.

He does not consider the overall practicality of getting all energy from renewables; he ignores the evidence of folk who have done the sums on energy needs and security of supply.

It would be great if we could all get by with a windmill in our backgarden and some photovoltaic batteries - but the sums dont add up; see what the Chief Scientist says on this.

He is incorrect in saying that when things go wrong with other forms of energy that their effect is limited in space and time.

He does not mention the many people around the world that die in the coal industries through poor safety practices; he does not mention the effect of smog and the nasty pollution produced from our fossil fuelled consumer society in curtailing the lives of millions of people; he conveniently seems to forget about the effect of the CO2 driven global warming on third world countries.

Sustainability is about sustainable communities ? not just sustainable energy sources. We see no sign of Mr Clowes and those against new power station at Wylfa doing anything now about getting quality, sustainable, long term jobs in Anglesey and making use of the experience of Anglesey people.

Apr 07, 2010

Need safe and sustainable energy
by: Dr. Carl Iwan Clowes

I began my medical career in the Christie Cancer Hospital in Manchester and don`t need reminding of the important medical uses of radiation.

I have also been responsible for three projects creating approximately 70 jobs in rural Wales and therefore feel I have the authority to speak about alternative opportunities for employment.

Some of your correspondents may choose to make me out as being negative but in reality I`m looking for a safe and sustainable means of producing energy and employment.

What your correspondents appear to forget is that when something goes wrong with other forms of power production - as tragic as they may be for the families concerned - the effects are limited in nature and time.

Equally if there is an accident with a train, car, bus or plane, the consequences are limited.

Nuclear accidents can be catastrophic for generations, witness the thousands of deaths and congenital deformities still being witnessed post-Chernobyl.

So, my point is that where there are adequate alternatives - for energy and work - we should develop them at every opportunity and avoid the risks of accidents, terrorism etc no matter how limited they may be.

Remember, as the Office for Nuclear Development have confirmed, the high-level radiation waste will be stored on site for 160 years and nobody can guarantee there will be no accident or untoward incident during that timescale so why take the risk ?

Apr 06, 2010

Half truths
by: Anonymous

Shame Mr Clwse has not done anything positive about alleviating unemployment in Anglesey 10 years ago!! Very easy to knock new developments and to present half a story.

Why would General Electric want to come to Anglesey to build windmills when they could have access to all the manufacturing capability and deep water harbour access of redundant industrial complexes in Liverpool or Belfast. It would be great if they could come - lets have the temporary work that it would offer while the Irish Sea windfarm is being built and also let us get the permanent jobs which the new Wylfa will offer.

Mr Clwse is good at putting up half a story - Does Mr Clwse also want to ban the use of cancer treatment machines which also make use of highly radioactive materials?? There is no need to have a power station to have a dirty bomb!!

Apr 06, 2010

Of course there are risks!
by: Gordon

It's sensible to take a realistic view of risk and avoid emotional responses. Almost all human activity involves some element of risk and these are largely accepted. The risks involved in nuclear power are examined minutely and addressed carefully and often at great expense. I do hope Mr Clowes avoids smoking, cooking and traveling by car. All much more dangerous than nuclear power.

Apr 06, 2010

Wylfa is safe
by: Jeff

Agree with Ceriden, this is a lot of scare talk with no substance. Dr Clowes is wrong about the stolen materials because these figures are almost all for places like hospitals, not nuclear stations as you are trying to suggest.

Stop the negative talk. Wylfa has received awards for its safety record, so we can be confident that safety will be top of the list of priorities.

why cant he be positive and help the island? Anglesey can be a place where there will be jobs for young people in modern industires, like nuclear and wind farm manufacture.

Apr 05, 2010

Please acknowledge the facts
by: Carl Iwan Clowes

Ceridwen`s comments would be valid if they didn`t fly in the face of reality. On the 17th March Gordon Brown warned of the dangers of Al Qaeda getting hold of nuclear materials and creating dirty bombs.

In the same week the International Atomic Energy Agency reported that, in the period 1993 to 2008, there were 1562 incidents of nuclear material being stolen or lost and 65% of these were never recovered.

Each nuclear power station provides the potential for such waste being mis-used and as the numbers of such stations are likely to rise from the 350 in the world today to approximately 520 by 2020 the risks are clear.

Further the recent decision to allow the development of 1750 wind turbines off the coast of Britain creates great hope for Ynys Mon.

Already the case is being canvassed with General Electric as a major turbine builder to come to the island and so create an estimated 1950 jobs.

When one considers the options objectively the case is a clear one - a sustainable future with no inherent dangers or a blighted island with toxic waste and a polluted environment and a devastating impact on tourism and culture in the region.

Apr 05, 2010

Wylfa B essential
by: Ceridwen

This is scaremongering of the very worst kind. New technology now offers the chance to use the waste coming from first reactor to be used as a feed in fuel for the next reactor and so on. (A->B->C->D)

The people of Anglesey are far more hopeful for their future than you, Mr Clawe. The whole population of Kent, Sussex and Dorset dont have a problem with all those reactors on the French coast - not that far away, are they?

we need low carbon energy and lots of it. wind turbines are ok, but only a pinprick towards solving the problem!!!

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