Web version:
 http://www.foe.co.uk/pubsinfo/infoteam/pressrel/2001/20011005150248.html


For Immediate Release: Friday 5th October 2001.

GREEN GROUPS IN LEGAL BID TO STOP MOX NUCLEAR PLANT

The Government is being taken to court to prevent the
controversial plutonium plant at Sellafield from opening. Lawyers
acting for Friends of the Earth and Greenpeace today filed papers
in the High Court.

The application for judicial review follows Wednesday's decision
by the Government to give state-owned British Nuclear Fuels Plc
(BNFL) the go-ahead to begin operations at the mixed oxide (MOX)
plant. Friends of the Earth and Greenpeace say the decision is
unlawful because:

* the economic 'benefits' of the scheme have been distorted as
the £472 million of taxpayers' money spent so far, mostly on
constructing the plant, have been disregarded;

* there is insufficient evidence that potential customers,
such as the Japanese, will materialise.

Charles Secrett, Director of Friends of the Earth said:

The Government's decision to allow the MOX plant to open is
dangerous, uneconomic and perverse. The decision makes the world
an even more dangerous place. The plant will struggle to find
clients and may well never make any money. We will challenge
Ministers to justify this foolish decision in court.

Stephen Tindale, Executive Director of Greenpeace said:

Tony Blair's obsession with all things nuclear has forced through
a crazy decision. BNFL is hoping its main customer for MOX will
be Japan - yet a referendum held earlier this year showed the
Japanese public doesn't want MOX. If Blair wants to build a new
world order, he needs to stop contributing to nuclear
proliferation.”

ENDS
Notes:
The MOX plant, completed in 1996, was intended to turn 'spent'
plutonium and uranium into usable fuel. However, following
financial concerns, and in the wake of the MOX data falsification
incident, the commercial go-ahead for the plant was withheld.
Under EU law, the Government must be able to show - amongst other
things - that the economic benefits of the plant outweigh the
health and environmental detriments.

FURTHER INFORMATION:
Friends of the Earth Press Office: 0207 566 1649
Greenpeace Press Office: 0207 865 8255,


---------------------------------------------------------------
Friends of the Earth Email:  info@foe.co.uk
26-28 Underwood Street URL:  http://www.foe.co.uk
London Tel: 020 7490 1555
N1 7JQ Fax: 020 7490 0881
---------------------------------------------------------------
Support Friends of the Earth
 https://www.foe.co.uk/?email_pressrel
---------------------------------------------------------------
to subscribe to Friends of the Earth pressrelease, send a message to  majordomo@foe.co.uk
from your emai account with
subscribe pressrelease
in the message body
---------------------------------------------------------------