NUCLEAR waste being flown into RAF Lossiemouth air base is the cause of significant concern for some in the town. A C17 Globemaster aircraft carrying waste from Dounreay Power Station took off and landed at the air base on September 17. Up to a dozen more flights are now expected to do the same at Lossiemouth over the coming year. Moray MP Angus Robertson said: “I am very concerned about this issue. We are talking about weapons grade nuclear material being transported. “Clearly with the decommissioning of Dounreay some waste has to be transported but the risk to the public must be minimised at all times.” The UK government ordered the closure of the reactors at Dounreay, which is on the Caithness coast, back in 1994. However the clean-up of the site is not scheduled to finish until at least 2025. Following the making of a deal to transport high-grade uranium waste from Dounreay to the USA, £8 million is thought to have been spent at Wick Airport over the summer to strengthen the runway.
Northern Scot 7th Oct 2016 read more »