The Local Germany

Nuclear waste transport crosses French border

Wed, 15 Dec 2010 12:55:00 +0100

Five weeks after massive protests stalled the delivery of radioactive waste from France to Germany’s controversial Gorleben facility, another convoy began a similar trip on Wednesday. It is expected to cross the border sometime after noon.

Cancer spikes around Asse nuke dump

Fri, 26 Nov 2010 12:38:00 +0100

In the wake of reports that the community around the Asse atomic waste dump in Lower Saxony has suffered a rise in cancer cases, authorities insisted Friday the illnesses were not caused by nuclear contamination.

Röttgen could strip authority of nuclear waste storage duties

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 13:09:00 +0100

German Environment Minister Norbert Röttgen is reportedly considering stripping the Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS) of its nuclear waste duties to expedite storage at the controversial Gorleben site.

Röttgen says Asse nuke dump should close

Fri, 15 Jan 2010 09:18:00 +0100

Radioactive waste at the controversial Asse nuclear waste dump must be moved to a different facility, Environment Minister Norbert Röttgen said on Friday.

Study finds no dangerous radiation around nuclear Asse dump

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 17:42:00 +0100

An official investigation reported on Friday that there are no dangerous radiation levels in the region surrounding the controversial Asse nuclear waste dump in Lower Saxony.

Gabriel accuses Merkel of blocking Asse files

Mon, 07 Sep 2009 11:00:00 +0200

German Environment Minister Sigmar Gabriel accused Chancellor Angela Merkel on Monday of trying to delay clarification on the situation at controversial nuclear waste depot Asse.

Merkel vows swift clean up at Asse nuke dump

Thu, 03 Sep 2009 11:00:00 +0200

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Environment Minister Sigmar Gabriel assured on Thursday that the controversial Asse nuclear waste depot in Lower Saxony would be cleaned up quickly.

More nuclear waste in disused depot than expected

Sun, 30 Aug 2009 17:36:00 +0200

An investigation team has found three times more highly radioactive plutonium in the disused nuclear waste depot in Asse than the inventory states, the German Environment Ministry announced Saturday.

Radioactive brine found in Asse nuclear dump

Wed, 15 Jul 2009 15:01:00 +0200

Radioactive brine has been found at the controversial salt-mine nuclear waste storage facility in Asse, Lower Saxony, the Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS) confirmed on Tuesday.

Asse nuclear dump contains explosives

Fri, 26 Jun 2009 16:32:00 +0200

The controversial salt-mine nuclear waste storage facility in Asse, Lower Saxony is not only crumbling but also contains unknown amounts of explosive, it has emerged.

Greenpeace occupies Unterweser nuke plant

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 12:43:00 +0200

Activists from the environmentalist group Greenpeace staged a protest on top of the reactor dome of the Unterweser nuclear power plant in Lower Saxony on Monday.

Asse nuclear waste dump rife with poison

Wed, 15 Apr 2009 19:51:00 +0200

The controversial and unstable nuclear waste storage facility Asse in Lower Saxony also contains tonnes of deadly chemicals like arsenic, mercury, lead and pesticides, Germany’s Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS) confirmed on Wednesday.

Indian radioactive metal found in Germany

Sun, 15 Feb 2009 15:40:00 +0100

German authorities have discovered more than 150 tonnes of radioactive metal imported from foundries in India in 12 federal states, according to a report by news magazine Der Spiegel.

Officials checking water near Asse nuke facility

Fri, 30 Jan 2009 14:49:00 +0100

Germany’s Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS) has announced it began checking drinking water for radiation in Kissenbrück near the controversial nuclear waste facility Asse in Lower Saxony this week.

Asse nuclear waste storage mine 'may not be fixable'

Sat, 17 Jan 2009 13:01:00 +0100

The Lower Saxony Environment Ministry is not sure it can fix the Asse nuclear waste storage facility which is threatening to partially collapse, according to Der Spiegel.

Damage at nuclear facility Asse could cause radioactive leaks

Thu, 15 Jan 2009 15:38:00 +0100

A storage chamber at the controversial nuclear waste facility Asse in Lower Saxony is damaged and could pose the risk of radioactive leaks, Germany’s Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS) announced on Thursday.

Gabriel: nuclear facility Asse like “Swiss cheese”

Thu, 04 Sep 2008 10:00:00 +0200

German Environment Minister Sigmar Gabriel on Thursday renewed his criticism of the nuclear waste facility Asse, but said there was no acute danger to the public.

Germany must rethink its permanent nuclear storage

Wed, 03 Sep 2008 19:41:00 +0200

Following Environment Minister Sigmar Gabriel’s scathing criticism of the Asse nuclear facility in Lower Saxony this week, Heinz Smital from Greenpeace argues Germany must rethink its plans for the permanent storage of atomic waste.

Asse nuclear facility operators under fire

Wed, 03 Sep 2008 12:03:00 +0200

Criticism of the operators of Germany’s Asse nuclear storage facility continued to grow on Wednesday, following revelations they failed to alert the government to serious violations at the site.