Nuclear haulage m hanks-TGWU
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• The Transport and Gene] Workers Union is poised to order its members to black ti handling and movement of radioactive substances, amid growing concern over the increasing level of highly toxic waste being moved.
TGWU leaders have been speaking to other unions sucl as the National Union of Seamen this week about a total embargo of all nuclear import on the docksides. The road transport and commercial se( tion of the union is also worried about haulage companies transporting nuclear waste around the country with inadequately-briefed and trained drivers.
A union spokesman told Commercial Motor this week. "There have been instances nuclear waste being driven around without the knowledg of the driver. We're getting deeply concerned about hauli nuclear waste on the roads. We may have to decide not t move it at all."
John Connolly, the TGWU cks and waterways national cretary, says le confidently pects the union's executive place an embargo on nuclear ports soon if the safety uation does not improve. Union officials and environmtal lobbyists were hearaed by the British Governmes rejection of the Karin B Kic waste ship on 1 Septemr this year, and they would e to see the same principles plied to other types of highly tic waste.
British Nuclear Fuels, wever, faces a severe transrtation crisis if the union es ahead with its nuclear icking. The company has eady admitted that it has oblems finding shippers and rts willing to handle the sort hazardous cargoes it uses. Last week, the Swedishmed company Exxtor deled to stop importing spent clear fuel and enriched idioactive) hexafiuoride rough Immingham docks on South Humberside as rising insurance costs had made the business uneconomic.
BNFL says that it will make renewed efforts to persuade workers and the public that nuclear waste and other highly toxic substances are safe to transport. It remains confident that it will be able to get sufficient material to its plants to continue in business.
Dockers at Goole, Folkestone and Liverpool have already taken unilateral decisions not to handle certain grades of nuclear waste.
The union has not revealed when it intends to bring in an embargo, nor the extent of the activities it will black. It has confirmed, however, that it will be seeking the support of as many other transport unions as possible to ensure that its actions will be effective.
It would like to see drivers better informed about the type of hazardous cargo they are carrying and the precautions they should take in an accident.