Reprocessing: counting the cost

The Sellafield reprocessing plant of BNFL in Cumbria is discussed. The paragraphs cover the following aspects: the contamination on the beach from the radioactive effluent; Government statement about the contamination; television programme about incidence of children's cancer; comparison with contamination of Channel Island coast from French reprocessing plant at Cap de la Hague; comparative exposure of workers at Sellafield and the French plant; the principle that discharges should be 'as low as reasonably achievable'; isotope composition of spent reactor fuel; economics of reprocessing (reference to PWR and fast reactors); thermal oxide fuel reprocessing plant (THORP) operational dose. (U.K.)