Letters / Flat earth lunacy
In response to Tor Justad: Increased risk (SN, 16/12/15)
“Transporting nuclear waste by sea is opposed by environmental groups throughout the world, and HANT is of the view that all nuclear waste should remain on the sites where it is produced which is in line with Scottish Government policy.”
Tor Justad, I think this little piece of ‘flat earth, green lunacy’ is best forgotten; it is scaremongering at its most stupid. Some simple statistics for your observation:
Deaths from hazardous nuclear waste transportation accidents worldwide: nil.
Deaths from atmospheric pollution worldwide (smoke, car exhausts et al): annually seven million plus.
UK deaths from nuclear industrial accidents, all sources, over the last 50 years: nil.
Lives saved by irradiation (nuclear medicine, radiotherapy et al): tens of thousands each year.
That puts the risk into perspective!
Demonising the nuclear industry is about as pointless as Nuclear Free Local Authorities (NFLA) and Highlands Against Nuclear Transport. Two utterly ridiculous and unnecessary organisations that serve no purpose whatsoever but to scare the ignorant.
Fact is that far more people die in transporting and commissioning wind turbines. Or for that matter, falling overboard from towing vessels!!!
“The campaigning group HANT (Highlands Against Nuclear Transport) has been campaigning since 2013 to stop these plans on the grounds that the risk to the environment, fishing, aquaculture and tourism is unacceptable.”
Can you explain, Tor Justad, what that risk is and outline where that transportation of nuclear waste has hurt anyone or damaged any biological ecosystem in the history of humankind?
Ian Tinkler
Clousta
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