Nuclear mud dumping not a health risk, says minister

ASSEMBLY Members have expressed concerns about the planned dumping off Cardiff of mud from Hinkley Point nuclear power station, being built on the English side of the Severn Estuary.

But Energy Secretary Lesley Griffiths insisted the mud had been properly tested by Natural Resources Wales (NRW) and posed no threat to health or the environment.

More than 7,000 people signed a petition calling for a licence issued by NRW to be revoked – enough for a plenary debate at the Senedd.

Ukip AM David Rowlands, who chairs the Petitions Committee, told AMs: “The committee considered that additional testing may provide further public reassurance.

“We wrote to NRW in January to recommend that they request the licence holder to arrange for further samples to be taken and analysed.

“They asked EDF [developers of the power station] to consider this on a voluntary basis, but this was rejected by EDF on the basis that the scientific evidence already demonstrated that the material is not radioactive.”

Plaid Cymru AM Rhun ap Iorwerth said: “With such a contentious issue, one would suspect that the licence holders would have welcomed the opportunity to operate as openly as possible.

“There was window for doing more testing and I think they should have taken advantage of that.”

Cardiff North AM Julie Morgan said: “People have not been reassured by the responses that have come from NRW and other agencies.

“It does seem to me very important that we do absolutely the maximum we can to ensure we know what is in the sediment that is being dumped so close to us here in Cardiff.”

Independent AM Neil McEvoy said: “It’s a fact that dumping of mud will allow the nuclear power station to be built, so what is Wales getting out of it?

“The answer is a big fat zero – dim byd, nothing, nada, nothing at all.

“England is dumping its nuclear muds on Wales and this Government is accepting it, this Labour Government in Wales.”

Ms Griffiths said: “The marine licensing determination process provides for a thorough and robust assessment of proposed activities, including consideration of the need to protect the marine environment and human health.

“I can assure everyone all marine licence applications are considered in line with legal requirements.”

The committee report was noted.