UK to Bury World's Largest Plutonium Stockpile

The UK government has decided to bury the world’s largest stockpile of plutonium, sourced from civil nuclear reactors, at the Sellafield nuclear complex in northern England.

Sellafield, located on the Irish Sea coast, is home to the largest plutonium storage facility on Earth, which has also housed nuclear waste accumulated during the development of nuclear weapons, as well as waste imported from abroad.

According to The Guardian, this decision marks a significant step in the UK’s handling of its nuclear legacy.

The British Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) issued a statement welcoming the government's strategic move to withdraw plutonium stockpiles from civil reactors at Sellafield, emphasizing the importance of managing these materials safely.

The NDA has promised to find a secure method for dealing with the nuclear waste, with plans to seek permission for a program to treat and process the nuclear waste in the future.

This comes as part of the government’s broader efforts to address long-standing concerns regarding the safety and management of radioactive materials in the country.

However, the decision has sparked significant criticism. The Daily Telegraph reported that a source within the UK nuclear industry described the move as "extremely short-sighted and reckless," comparing it to an act of sabotage.

Critics argue that burying such a large amount of plutonium could have long-term environmental and security consequences.