Your front-page story referred to a secret plan by the UK Government and the nuclear industry to transport weapons-grade uranium from Dounreay to the US by sea (UK Government urged to 'come clean' about secret plan to ship weapons-grade uranium to US, News, December 20).
As a campaigning group formed in 2013, HANT (Highlands Against Nuclear Transport) has been calling for greater transparency and openness from the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) in relation to transport of nuclear materials from Dounreay by rail, sea, road and air
The mantra response of the NDA and DSRL (Dounreay Site Restoration Ltd) is that all transport meets strict regulatory requirements and details cannot be divulged on security grounds
HANT has consistently argued that all communities along the routes being used should be informed of the risks and be fully briefed on emergency plans in place to deal with accidents
In early meetings with senior NDA staff, HANT was informed that communities are not informed because “then everyone would be against the transports”!
The near disaster in the Moray Firth caused by a fire of the MV Parida in October 2014 carrying nuclear waste from Scrabster to Antwerp by sea should have been a wake-up call resulting in a stop to all movements of nuclear waste.
The safest way to deal with the large amounts of highly radioactive materials remaining at Dounreay is to leave them on site under constant monitoring and security, which would retain and create local employment.
HANT is supported in this position by UK and Scottish politicians, local authorities, NFLA (Nuclear Free Local Authorities) and all the main environmental organisations
In the light of this latest example of a blatant disregard for public concern and safety, this position is the only responsible way to deal with the toxic legacy of the nuclear industry
Tor Justad
Vice-Chairman: Highlands Against Nuclear Transport
Strathpeffer
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