Letter: Nuclear fears

Geoffrey Leans assertion that Britain is the world's "nuclear dustbin" is far from true ("Agenda for a green government", Review, 4 May). BNFL has applied to increase discharges at Sellafield by 0.4 per cent. The impact of this on the most exposed person living near Sellafield is equivalent to spending 45 minutes in an aircraft where there are increased levels of natural cosmic radiation.

He says a new process developed by BNFL could put plutonium into the hands of terrorists. What this new process does is use plutonium oxide as a fuel for civilian power reactors when blended with uranium oxide.

Dr W L Wilkinson

British Nuclear Industry Forum

London SW1