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Greenpeace issues warning over ship with radioactive waste en route to Australia

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Sydney, 16 October 2015 - A cargo ship with sub-par safety standards that is carrying nuclear waste and bound for Australia is an environmental disaster waiting to happen, Greenpeace Australia Pacific warned today.

The Antigua and Barbuda-flagged BBC Shanghai left the French port of Cherbourg yesterday with the nuclear waste and is reportedly due to arrive in Australia by November 27.

“We condemn the decision by French authorities to allow the BBC Shanghai to leave Cherbourg, when this ship has been blacklisted by the United States because of its safety record,” said Emma Gibson, Head of Program for Greenpeace Australia Pacific.

“It’s outrageous that the BBC Shanghai is heading towards Australia and it is not outfitted to safely carry nuclear waste. What we have is a vessel that will be ill-equipped to deal with any sort of accident involving the nuclear waste. It’s an environmental disaster waiting to happen.

“The last official inspection in August this year showed problems with shipboard operations and emergency preparedness. This is not the sort of ship that should be allowed to carry radioactive waste or anything hazardous, for that matter,” said Ms Gibson.

The ship was detained in March 2015 in the US over a list of safety issues and poor labour conditions. It is now blacklisted by the US Homeland Security Department and the US Coast Guard, and is not allowed to carry government cargo.

The nuclear waste on the BBC Shanghai was generated by the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) and was sent to France in 2001 to be reprocessed. Between 1996 and 2009, ANSTO sent eight shipments of spent nuclear fuel for reprocessing overseas - four to France, three to the United States and one to the United Kingdom.

The radioactive waste being carried by the BBC Shanghai is expected to be stored in the Lucas Heights nuclear facility in Sydney.

“We want to know what safety precautions the Australian government will put in place when this ship arrives on our shores. We also want assurances from the ANSTO that the waste - which will take years to degrade - will be safely stored,” said Ms Gibson.

ENDS

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