A Location for a Geological Disposal Facility

Part of 1. Questions to the Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs – in the Senedd at 2:13 pm on 27 March 2019.

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Photo of Rhun ap Iorwerth Rhun ap Iorwerth Plaid Cymru 2:13, 27 March 2019

(Translated)

Well, the first of those public consultations was held in public, but, of course, some opposition was expressed to the idea of having a radioactive waste disposal site in Swansea, and then it was changed to be a webinar rather than the public meeting that was scheduled to happen in Llandudno. There are certain people in my constituency who have raised concerns that there is an attempt here by RWM to move towards being less open in their consultation.

Now, I do have concerns about many elements of the consultation by RWM. One of the things that concerns me greatly is that one landowner, or one business, even, can request to express an interest in starting a consultation on providing a geological disposal site for radioactive waste. I think that’s entirely unacceptable, particularly in a context where local authorities, in their entirety, have already said that they don’t wish to look at the possibilities in their own areas, as Anglesey council has done. Would you agree with me that if a council says, 'No facility in our area', that should be the end of it? And do you agree with me that councils in Wales should be expressing that clearly between now and the end of the consultation on 14 April, that we don't welcome geological disposal sites here in Wales?