Danger: Sellafield's toxic sludge pond

A MASSIVE pond holding up to five tonnes of the world's deadliest radioactive material, plutonium, and thousands of gallons of contaminated sludge is decaying at Sellafield.

The area in which the pond is situated is so contaminated, British Nuclear Fuels Ltd (BNFL) workers are allowed just one hour per day exposure to the radiation. The discovery was made by the European Commission's nuclear inspectorate, which has criticised the inability of BNFL to quantify the extent of the environmental threat.

Last night, Environment Minister Martin Cullen said he was attempting to have Irish nuclear inspectors visit the Sellafield site.