- The sea transports of dangerous radioactive material need to be stopped. The uranium enrichment companies, Urenco and Eurodif, must stop sending nuclear waste (depleted uranium hexafluoride) to Russia, where radioactive waste is not safely stored but placed in the open field, facing erosion and weather-related risks, and posing health risks for local residents. According to the most competent experts from the Helsinki Commission the Baltic Sea is already the most radioactive sea in the whole world. KIMO, the international organisation of local authorities in coastal communities, has sharply protested against such shipments, which put millions of their coastal community citizens at great risk
- Conference experts highlighted that nuclear waste storages are not technically resolved in the planned final repositories for spent fuel of Finland and Sweden. Waste storages should not be placed close to coastal areas, and problems will arise because the geological bedrock is not solid. Further studies need to be made by objective scientists.
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Building new reactors would promote the proliferation of nuclear arms and nuclear material. The production of nuclear fuel causes large amounts of radioactive waste material, so called depleted uranium. Depleted uranium is used for uranium weapons. It is an efficient, cheap, radioactive and toxic material causing widely spread pollution and health damage. These weapons must be banned immediately.
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The conference participants are concerned about the plans in Russia, Belarus, Ukraine Armenia, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Lithuania and Slovenia to develop nuclear energy. These plans follow the outdated strategy that was developed during Soviet Union times. The conference participants appeal to the investors not to build new reactors but to focus on energy efficiency and endless renewable energy sources that have more potential to solve the energy issues of the countries in question. The conference participants also appeal to the Finnish, French and US governments not to invest in new nuclear reactors.
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Conference experts clearly showed that if there is political will on the local, regional, national and international levels, it is possible to change the present unsustainable and high risk energy system into a system of 100% renewable energy.