In a recent article published in The Irish Times, it was discussed by Mark Paul, the London Correspondent, that Sellafield, an extensive 700-acre radioactive waste site, has not ceased to exist. This site, which houses most of the UK’s nuclear waste, continues to pose a potential hazard to Ireland, Scandinavia and the entirety of Europe.
Originally constructed as an ordnance factory named Windscale during World War II, its purpose was redefined in 1947 to facilitate the production of plutonium for nuclear weapons. The post-war UK administration held a belief that the US was increasingly adopting an isolationist stance, even though both nations had collaborated on their respective nuclear programs – UK’s Tube Alloys and US Manhattan Project – to create the first nuclear bombs.
Using nuclear fission to turn low-grade uranium into weapons-grade plutonium is a cost-effective approach, which was a vital parameter for the UK’s distressed economy post-war. Even though electricity could be generated as a beneficial side product in the conversion process, the main focus of Windscale was always national defence.
Given the revolutionary nature of the technology, and the unexpected indifferent stance of the US, Windscale served as a significant hub for experimentation and evolution. Amongst many ground-breaking developments was the use of atmospheric air instead of water for cooling the primitive reactors, leading to substantial cost savings.
Another notable innovation was the proper alignment of highly refined graphite blocks, enabling control over reactor power by regulating neutron flow. This adjustment was done to counteract the crystalline imperfections in the graphite structure caused by irradiation.
John Cockcroft, the co-laureate of the 1951 physics Nobel prize with Ireland’s Ernest Walton, made a persuasive case for the implementation of innovative filters within the chimneys’ air vents. He feared that any of the 70,000 reactor fuel cartridges could crack, thereby causing a fire from the oxidation of uranium. These novel filters, informally dubbed ‘Cockcroft’s follies’, were subsequently installed and would later turn out to play an instrumental role by retaining roughly 90% of the radioactive particles dispersed during the notable 1957 Windscale reactor fire, which lasted three days.
Currently, Sellafield is home to approximately 700,000 tonnes of high-activity nuclear waste, inclusive of the plutonium reserve.
The Irish Centre for High End Computing (ICHEC) utilised historical weather data in tandem with modern analytical methodologies in 2017, to create a model depicting the dispersion patterns of toxic waste from a 1957 fire. Contrary to prior reassurances, the evidence now suggests that Ireland did experience some impact, although it was not as severe as that experienced by Wales, Scotland, southeastern England, and Scandinavia.
Presently, Sellafield is the central repository for the UK’s 130 metric tonnes of plutonium, a stockpile accumulated through the reprocessing of exhausted nuclear reactor fuel from both domestic and international origins. Theoretically, spent nuclear fuel reprocessing forms a “closed-loop” cycle, allowing for multiple reuse of the fuel. However, globally, this notion of a perpetual fuel cycle has largely remained a pipedream up until now.
Sellafield is situated at an equal distance from both Dublin and Cork, whereas Dundalk and Belfast are located closer. It is worth noting that a small fraction of a radioactive Plutonium gram is potent enough to be fatal, and it possesses a half-life period of 24,000 years. Recall that 24,000 years prior, Ireland was draped under an ice sheet extending to a thickness of 3km. Imagine the possibility of our prehistoric forefathers having left behind an undying and fatal legacy concealed amongst their relics after the ice retreated.
In a recent conversation, the chief executive of Sellafield Ltd, Euan Hutton, highlights both the legacy of innovation at Sellafield as well as their unwavering commitment to progressing further. Cutting-edge underwater robots, drone surveillance and innovative protective measures for operators are among the developments being tailored for the safe handling of high-level nuclear waste. Hutton is positive that the UK can develop into a worldwide front-runner in the global nuclear decommissioning industry, worth billions.
As Mark Paul highlighted in his piece, Sellafield is perceived by some as a “cash cow”, with an enormous budget of €156 billion over the century being used to fund its highly compensated employees and contractors.
Sellafield, a place known for its significant contribution to the UK’s defence and energy security, currently holds approximately 700,000 tonnes of high-activity nuclear waste, inclusive of a plutonium stockpile. British strategists are planning an undersea repository expected to be roughly triple the size of Heathrow airport. Access points for this facility are being considered in Cumbria or Lincolnshire. The aspirations are for the project to be finalized by the 2050s, allowing it to function for a hundred years, prior to its permanent closure. This move aligns with international trends, led by Finland who is anticipated to have its underground nuclear waste storage ready by next year, engineered to secure the waste for a minimum of 100,000 years. However, despite the groundbreaking advancements made at Sellafield, it also leaves a harmful legacy, spanning across generations, inclusive of its impact in Ireland. The imposing consequence of this pioneering technology serves as a harbinger of decisions we make pertaining to technology utility, their future implications, and their effect on climate and environmental modifications.