March 1999
BNFL in Hall of Shame for polluters
[Posted 25/03/1999]
The UK state-owned reprocessor and fuel fabrication company British Nuclear Fuels Ltd (BNFL) has been named by the UK's official environmental regulator,the Environment Agency, as the nation's eighth worst polluter in 1998 as measured by fines levied for breaches of environmental regulations. The so-called 'Hall of Shame" was published by the Agency on 22 March to show how it was implementing the new tougher environmental laws against pollutors. BNFL shared its ignominious position with Shell, each having to pay out #20,000 in fines. The top polluter was chemicals giant, ICI, which was stung with penalties of #382,500. BNFL was fined for the illegal discharge of non radioactive waste from its fuel fabrication plant at Springfields. The Agency plans to update its "Hall of Shame"on a regular basis, and the initiative has won the enthusiastic praises of environmental groups. but industry has indicted it would prefer voluntary co-operation with the regulators.
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