Bird islands targeted as N-dumps (From Western Telegraph)

Bird islands targeted as N-dumps

PEMBROKESHIRE'S jewels in the crown - the islands of Skomer, Skokholm and Ramsey - were among several west Wales sites identified as nuclear waste dumps in the 1980s.

Nineteen sites in Wales were named, including these important wildlife and environment locations.

The highly sensitive list was published last week by the nuclear waste agency Nirex, as a result of the Freedom of Information Act. Other west Wales locations included Castlemartin, the former RAF airfield at St Davids, Trecwn, Aberporth, Pendine and Pembrey.

Friends of the Earth spokesman Gordon James said: "It's difficult to believe that anyone could have even suggested placing spectacular wildlife treasures such as Skokholm and Skomer on a list of sites suitable for burying nuclear waste.

"Even Homer Simpson would probably have more sense than to contemplate such a thing."

Also among the list is the former Royal Naval Armament Depot at Trecwn. This was, for a number of years, a focus for a strong anti-nuclear campaign - in which the Western Telegraph played a leading role - after the new owners offered the site as a nuclear waste store in 1998.

Gordon James continued: "The experience at Trecwn showed the massive amount of public opposition that such proposals generate. People do not want this toxic material stored anywhere near their communities.

"It is the success of campaigns such as Trecwn that forced the Government to introduce a new decision-making process on nuclear waste policy in 2001."

Friends of the Earth welcomed the list's publication, but hit out over the years of secrecy surrounding the locations and called on the Government to finally rule out any new nuclear power stations.

At one time, Pembrokeshire was considered as a site for a nuclear power station. Friends of the Earth warned that many of the 537 UK sites identified might be considered in future searches for disposal sites.