THESE are the first pictures of a clandestine operation to move highly dangerous radioactive waste out of Scotland by boat. The pictures were taken amidst tight security as authorities shipped toxic nuclear cargo – dubbed Dounreay Exotics – from the port of Scrabster near Thurso to Sellafield in Cumbria in the middle of the night. It’s the first time images of the controversial practice have emerged after it was quietly introduced over a year ago. Trials moving the waste in 2014 by sea were deemed a success and the move was rubber-stamped by authorities. Dr Richard Dixon, Friends of the Earth Scotland Director, said: “Whatever method the Government chooses to transport this material, the consequences of any accident are extremely serious. “With our history of tanker disasters, submarines crashing into rocks and even oil rigs going aground, there are clearly plenty of risks in transporting nuclear waste through the seas around Scotland.” The cargo, transported two weekends ago, was escorted to the port by heavily armed officers from Police Scotland and the Civil Nuclear Constabulary. The cargo was believed to be unirradiated uranium and plutonium, which has the highest level of security. The material could be used as the building blocks for a so-called “dirty bomb”.
Sunday Post 7th May 2017 read more »