Director of GeneWatch Dr Helen Wallace will be in Kendal next month to give a free lecture at Kendal Museum, part of the Rock Solid? Expo art and events exploring the government plan to try to contain nuclear wastes in Cumbrian geology.
The exhibition and events have taken their name from ‘Rock Solid?’ a scientific report written by Dr Wallace (PDF link), an overview of the status of research and scientific evidence regarding the underground disposal of highly radioactive wastes, which in Cumbria would in all probablity include the disposal of waste from the Heysham power stations.
Worldwide, 13 countries are actively pursuing long-term waste management programmes for high-level radioactive wastes resulting from nuclear electricity generation, but no country has yet completed an operational geological disposal facility for such wastes.
Greenpeace argues European leaders are being misled over the safety of underground disposal of highly dangerous nuclear waste, which they claim could poison groundwaters for
centuries.
Cumbria is in the frame for what would be the world’s first operational high level nuclear waste geological disposal facility. The Department of Energy and Climate Change have effectively set Cumbria (the only county to “express an interest”) the goal of putting the first high level waste into a disposal facility by 2029.
• Rock Solid? by Dr Helen Wallace (PDF on Greenpeace web site)
• THE ROCK SOLID Lecture 10th May, The Box, Kendal Musuem from 7pm to 8.30pm. There will also be the opportunity for Questions and Answers. Free: please book with Kendal Museum on 01539 815597 or email info@kendalmuseum.org.uk
• More info: http://rocksolidexpo.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/rock-solid-lecture-by-dr-helen-wallace.html