RPII says Sellafield accident would have economic impact on Ireland

An accident involving the storage tanks for liquid radioactive waste at Sellafield would have a major economic impact on Ireland, but would not result in immediate deaths or in devastation along the lines of that in the vicinity of Chernobyl, an Oireachtas committee was told yesterday.

The chief executive of the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland (RPII), Ann McGarry told the Joint Committee on Environment and Local Government that the "dominant focus" of the institute's concern regarding Sellafield related to the storage of liquid radioactive wastes in highly active storage tanks (HASTs).

"Based on information provided [during a recent visit to the plant], the worst credible accident that is reasonably foreseeable involving the HASTs could result in levels of contamination in the food chain in Ireland that would require intervention by the authorities," she said. Dr McGarry said that in the worse case scenario the environment in Ireland could be contaminated and that there would be serious economic consequences. She said that these could be mitigated by "prudent counter measures".

Dr McGarry told the committee that there would be no immediate deaths or devastation along the lines of that seen in the 30km exclusion zone surrounding Chernobyl. "It is not credible [ to suggest] that the whole of Ireland would be wiped out."

Responding to questioning from committee members, Dr McGarry said that there was no question of the RPII "softening" on the Sellafield issue. She said that the institute's role was to put correct information into the public domain. She warned against generating hysteria among the public on the issue.

Meanwhile, the committee was told that the RPII will recommend to Government that free testing for naturally radioactive radon gas should be made available in areas where the problem was acute.