SGR statement released 16 November 2001

The document argues that the Sellafield nuclear facilities lack defenses against a plane crash, which could release 45-50 times the radioactivity of the Chernobyl disaster and create exclusion zones between 200 and 700 kilometres. SGR asserts that all plutonium, including reactor-grade, can be used in nuclear explosives and demands a comprehensive review of nuclear industry risks, a reappraisal of public subsidies, and that BNFL be held responsible for its estimated £34 billion decommissioning and waste disposal bill.

• A plane crash at the Sellafield storage buildings could result in a radioactive release far exceeding that of the Chernobyl disaster, potentially causing a 50% loss of Caesium-137 and other dangerous waste. This would create an exclusion zone between 200 and 700 kilometres for at least a century, rendering large parts of the central UK and potentially other European countries uninhabitable and unusable for cultivation or travel.
• The document states that the notion of plutonium being unsuitable for explosives if it is reactor-grade is false; all plutonium can be used directly in nuclear explosives. Consequently, a terrorist group could potentially create a crude atomic bomb using plutonium oxide stolen from Sellafield or a MOX fuel assembly.
• SGR demands a comprehensive review of the British nuclear industry that includes an assessment of terrorism and accident risks, a reappraisal of public subsidies for the industry, and a re-evaluation of the limited government support for energy-efficiency and renewable energy.
• The document argues that British Nuclear Fuels Limited (BNFL) should not be protected from its estimated £34 billion liability for the disposal of waste and the decommissioning of old reactors.

APA

Scientists for Global Responsibility (2001). SGR statement released 16 November 2001. https://www.sgr.org.uk/resources/could-terrorists-turn-uk-nuclear-wasteland

Chicago

Scientists for Global Responsibility. SGR statement released 16 November 2001. 2001. https://www.sgr.org.uk/resources/could-terrorists-turn-uk-nuclear-wasteland.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Scientists for Global Responsibility |title=SGR statement released 16 November 2001 |date=16 November 2001 |url=https://www.sgr.org.uk/resources/could-terrorists-turn-uk-nuclear-wasteland |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{scientistsforglobalresponsibility2001sgr, author = {{Scientists for Global Responsibility}}, title = {{SGR statement released 16 November 2001}}, publisher = {Scientists for Global Responsibility}, year = {2001}, month = nov, url = {https://www.sgr.org.uk/resources/could-terrorists-turn-uk-nuclear-wasteland}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }