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nuclear Stations throughout the country。 We are entering a new era 。 。 。 '
'Fair enough。' Coyle lit one of his own cigarettes。 'But now let's get on to this business of nuclear waste。 That's what I want to know about。'
'Of course。' The other smiled with an air of contained patience。 'The spent nuclear fuel will be dealt with in our own plant here…which will be constructed surprisingly quickly； as you will learn。 From it we shall produce uranium； which will also be invaluable。 Let us consider our present atomic power stations； where the spent radioactive fuel is stored in tanks under water。 This spent fuel is transported to a reprocessing plant to be broken down。 We obtain our vital plutonium； but we now have a highly radioactive plutonium waste which will be dangerous for thousands of years to e。 Our new plant here will deal safely with this substance； known as oxide。 Oxide is an extremely dangerous material； but the risks here will be minimal； nonexistent in fact。 Our nuclear laundry； for want of a better term； will be the first in the world to operate on a fully mercial scale； and the fuel can be stored almost indefinitely。'
'If it's as safe as all that； why don't these other countries reprocess it themselves； instead of paying us to do their dirty work for them？'
'Simply because they do not have the technology and the resources which we have in this very place。 The Japanese are well aware of the perils。 We can bat these dangers； and it would be a sad day for our economy if they decided to do it for themselves。 Indeed； Windscale will be obsolete once this place is operating fully。 There they have been reprocessing Japanese waste since 1969； on a very limited scale pared to that which we shall be capable of。 In all； they have dealt with something like a thousand tons of old fuel from foreign countries； half as much again as has been reprocessed from solely British power stations。
'We can double； even treble； that amount in half the time。 Look at their antiquated system。 The fuel containers arrive on a single…track railway！ The first reprocessed nuclear fuel is stored in ponds eighteen feet deep。 These ponds are now filled to overflowing。 Now that does represent a hazard。 The longer the fuel remains there； the greater the difficulty of reprocessing； and the greater the danger。
'Improved reprocessing facilities are needed。 We shall provide them here； a pletely different reprocessing plant to deal with the more radioactive oxide fuel。 It is a well…known fact that Windscale's pilot oxide plant ran into trouble。 We have learnt from their mistakes。 There were reports of an accident there in 1973； which resulted in the plant being shut down。 In 1976 the contaminated area was still sealed off。 I am confident that I know what； went wrong。 In effect； the plant broke down； but the dangers were greatly exaggerated by the media。 It was an old military plant which had been renovated…case of putting a highly radiated fuel into something totally inadequate for the purpose。 I am more than confident that our new plant will be adequate。
Take American Nuclear Fuel Services as another example of failure。 The West Valley Reprocessing Plant was never able to operate on a mercial scale。 It lost money instead of making it。 It； too； was closed down in 1972； because it was too radioactive to work in。 The cost of closing down the plant and clearing up the remaining waste is already running into millions of dollars； good money thrown after bad。 All the waste had to be solidified before it could be removed； at a cost of 540 million dollars。 The burial ground for the solidified waste had to be made one hundred per cent safe； at an estimated cost of a further billion dollars。
'Waste products at Windscale； too； present a major problem。 Fortunately British Nuclear Fuels have learnt how to cope with oxide reprocessing； something which no other country in the world has so far achieved。 That reprocessing system will be transferred here； but on a scale of greater magnitude。 More reprocessing means more nuclear waste； and this waste will remain radioactive for something like a quarter of a million years。 Lorries leave Windscale daily； carrying sealed containers of low…level nuclear waste。 This stuff is not highly dangerous…just dangerous。 Mostly these containers are filled with gloves； clothing； etc。； which have been in contact with contamination； and are transported to Britain's 〃burial ground〃。 It's a somewhat haphazard operation； the lorries not being escorted en route； but simply checked at their destination。 In time this burial ground will bee a forgotten tract of derelict ground； the low…level waste buried deep beneath it。 Perhaps； foolishly； houses will be built upon it。
'Windscale also deposits low…level liquid waste into the sea； something like five hundred thousand litres every day。 Of course； radioactive levels are kept strictly within the permitted limits； but the risk is still there。 A few miles south lies the Ravenglass Estuary； and this waste is being washed back by the currents on the sea…bed。 The plutonium is being picked up by fish； and that plutonium will still retain its radioactivity in a quarter of a million years' time。 Bear this in mind； Coyle； next time you eat fish and chips！ Mankind's food is being polluted at a time when not enough is known about plutonium waste。 Therefore； how can the level of radioactivity which goes into the Irish Sea be contained； especially when even more waste is still being deposited into it？
'Radioactivity； therefore； can only increase； and the original intention of those at Windscale is to ensure that the radioactivity discharged into the environment does not increase。 So 99。9 per cent of the radioactivity remains in the works； and does not enter the environment。 Our concern is that remaining 0。1 per cent。 At Windscale the bulk of that 99。9 per cent radioactive waste is stored behind 4…feet…thick walls； seven hundred cubic metres still seething with radioactivity。 The tanks which contain these poisonous liquids are stainless steel； and more tanks are now being built to take waste which has been accumulating for a quarter of a century。
'Here； though； in this place which you have chosen to call 〃Holocaust〃； some further one hundred tanks will be constructed。 The liquids inside these tanks are so radioactive that they would burn if it were not for the cooling systems。 There will be seven separate systems in each tank。 In January 1976； one of the tanks at Windscale sprang a radioactive leak； and as a result the system had to be shut down。 High…active waste is still accumulating at Windscale； simply because they have been unable to dispose of it。 We have that method of disposal； and much of it will be transferred here。
'A technique for turning the liquid into glass has some promise of success。 Already we have achieved it experimentally； and soon it will be done on a mercial scale。 We believe that we shall be able to solidify radioactive liquids； and once they can be turned into cylinders or blocks of glass； on a mercial scale； then we have here the means to dispose of them safety。 Consequ