(December 19, 1991) A three-day international conference on plutonium was held 2-4 November in Omiya City, Japan.
(364.3581) WISE Amsterdam - It was organized jointly by Greenpeace International and the Citizens' Nuclear Information Center in Japan, and brought together nuclear experts and citizens' groups from around the world to discuss issues such as the produc-tion, use, transportation and environ-mental effects of plutonium. This was the first conference on this theme ever to be held by citizens' groups, and was ambitious in terms of its size and the level of the discussion. The conclusion was that plutonium and nuclear waste should not be moved under any circumstances. It should be stored in situ, controlled under an international safeguard system, and never separated.
At its closing session, experts from Britain, France, Ireland, the US, the Soviet Union, Japan and other countries adopted the following statement.
Speakers Appeal from the International Conference on Plutonium Omiya, Sonic City November 2-4, 1991
As speakers at this International Conference on Plutonium we came here from 9 countries in order to discuss the spectrum of issues related to the production and uses of pluto-nium. We have discussed plutonium in terms of: environmental contamination and health effects; the economics of its commercial use; the threat of its global commerce and transportation; and its role in fuelling ongoing nuclear proliferation and blocking efforts to bring about nuclear disarmament.
Having discussed these issues thoroughly, we have reached agreement on the following points:
- As one of the most long-lived and radiotoxic elements, plutonium threatens the environment, human health and the gene pool.
- The production of plutonium for weapons and its separation for commercial purposes has con- taminated the environment and has exacerbated the nuclear waste problem.
- There is no economic, technical or energy-need that justifies the use of plutonium as fuel in either Light Water Reactors or Fast Breeder Reactors.
- Plutonium production for and use in nuclear weapons has been widely rejected; its use as reactor fuel should be rejected as well.
- Plans for continued separation of plutonium will inevitably lead to nuclear weapons proliferation and global environmental contami- nation.
On the basis of these points of agreement, we call on the govern-ments of Japan and all states with nuclear industries to adopt the following policies:
- No separation of plutonium
- No commercial or military use of plutonium
- No national stockpiling of plutonium
- No transport of plutonium
We urge Japan, as a recognized world leader in technology development, to provide leadership in adopting this program by renouncing its ambitious plans to separate, stockpile and utilize massive quantities of plutonium.
The international community must move to enact agreements banning plutonium separation and securing a safeguards regime which will oversee the safe and protected storage of all plutonium stockpiles. This should be a priority set for the 1995 Review Conference for the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty or whatever regime may replace that agreement.
Sources:
- David Lowry (UK), Nov. 1991
- Nuke Info Tokyo (Japan), Nov/Dec 1991.
Contact: Citizens' Nuclear Information Center, 4F Yoshinobu Bldg., 2-10-11, Motoasakusa, Taito-ku, Tokyo 111, Japan; tel: 03-3843-0596; fax: 03-3843-0597.
David Lowry, Inspectorate Casella Environmental Ltd., Bridge Wharf, 150 Caledonian Road, Kings Cross, London N1 9OO, UK; tel: 071-278 3121; fax: 071-278 4671.
Greenpeace International, Keizersgracht 74, 1016 DW Amsterdam, Netherlands; tel:020-523-65580.