British climbdown on discharges of radioactive waste into sea leads to breakthrough deal

The most significant agreement adopted on controlling the discharge of radioactive waste into the sea has resulted from a dramatic climbdown by the British delegation at the OSPAR Convention meeting in Portugal.

Under pressure from France, which committed itself to reducing nuclear waste to "close to zero" in the marine environment, and an alliance between Nordic countries and Ireland, Britain agreed to stringent controls - but only on the basis of a phase-in up to 2020.

The UK Deputy Prime Minister, Mr John Prescott, said: "We have promised to do all we can to clean up the seas and today we delivered on that . . . Yesterday the UK and France withdrew their opt-out from a ban on dumping nuclear waste at sea, something I have campaigned on for more than 15 years."

He added: "Just as important is the agreement on reducing the levels of radioactive discharges to the sea from Sellafield, which means the plant can continue to operate, but must reduce radioactive emissions to near zero, taking account of technical feasibility."

Environmental groups, conscious that it would be impossible to achieve this target in the short term, claimed it amounted to the end of reprocessing.

The Irish Minister of State with responsibility for nuclear safety, Mr Joe Jacob, said it was "a historic occasion" which, he believed, would lead to zero radioactive discharges into the Irish Sea by 2020.

He added: "We have achieved a statement of political intent in relation to the future control of radioactive substances. This will effectively result in a progressive and substantial reduction of radioactive discharges into the Irish Sea. Indeed, by the year 2020, I am confident that we will achieve close to zero radioactive discharges into the Irish Sea."

A significant part of the legally binding agreement signed by the 15 member-states is the undertaking that by 2000, the OSPAR contracting parties would show how zero radioactive discharges would be achieved. "This will, quite simply, mean that the UK government will be obliged to substantially and progressively reduce radioactive discharges into the Irish Sea over a 20-year period," Mr Jacob said.

Rejecting any suggestion that it represented a climbdown from "traditional Government policy seeking the closure of Sellafield", he said the package was a mechanism to end the facility's discharges. "It is not tied up by technical detail, it is an appropriate response to the level of public concern."

Within minutes of the "Sintra Statement" being signed, the British government was insisting Sellafield was not under threat despite unanimous agreement on a "close-to-zero" option for discharges to the sea. Mr Prescott gave the assurance before describing the agreement as one which will work towards ridding the seas of radioactive waste.

He added: "We will work to reduce radioactive discharges from Sellafield to as close to zero as possible. We have, together with France, instructed our industries to find the technology so that we can work to this over a 20-year timeframe."

Greenpeace welcomed the decision and added: "The end of reprocessing is in sight."

Earlier, Mr Prescott said the target for British Nuclear Fuels Ltd was "demanding, challenging but we can deal with it". He reaffirmed the plan to reduce discharges to as near to zero as possible on what was "technically feasible". Environment Minister Mr Michael Meacher had last week instructed BNFL to look for technological advances, he confirmed.

On the specific issue of radioactive technetium-99 from Sellafield, which has been accumulating in the marine environment since 1994, Mr Jacob said he had got "positive signals" from the British on the issue.