Hinkley Mud

Posted: 13th February 2022

A group campaigning against the dumping of sediment from the site of a decommissioned nuclear power station has succeeded in securing a judicial review challenging the legality of a licence to dump waste into the River Severn. The Save the Severn Estuary / Cofiwch Môr Hafren campaign involves the Geiger Bay coalition and groups from the English side of the estuary and is seeking to halt the dumping of sediment from the construction of the Hinkley C power station in the Marine Protected Area (MPA) near Portishead, Bristol. In 2018, EDF, which is building the plant, dumped mud and sediment off the coast of Cardiff despite fierce objections. The Campaign group says that millions of tonnes of contaminated mud and sediment will contaminate the waters and beaches used by local communities, and that by choosing to ignore legal safeguards, energy giant EDF is threatening the health of families and animal life. Save the Severn Estuary / Cofiwch Môr Hafren say that EDF are now trying to avoid further opposition and negative media attention by moving the operation to Portishead, Bristol as a ‘soft touch’ location after initially applying for a new license to dump more waste off the Cardiff coast. At the judicial review on 8 March the campaign group will challenge the legality of the licence granted by the Marine Management Organisation (MMO), stating that several important procedures haven’t been met and that an alternative to dumping at Portishead should be adopted.