PR:International Saling Trip made a stance at Oskarshamn NPP: Anti-nuclear tour challenging atomic power in the Baltic Sea region

Media Release Friday, August 31, 2012 - for immediate release -

International Saling Trip made a stance at Oskarshamn NPP:

Anti-nuclear tour challenging atomic power in the Baltic Sea region
Oskarshamn/Baltic Sea Friday, August 31, an international anti-nuclear group made a stance against the Swedish plans to construct new atomic power plants. A sailing boat headed to the atomic power station in Oskarshamn/Sweden spreading the word on their sails: "Energy Turn NOW!". Decorated with anti-nuclear symbols the activist boat took position in the bay opposite to the nuclear facility. Oskarshamn is also the site of a temporary repository for high level atomic waste.

In the face of the atomic catastrophe in Fukushima/Japan one and half a years ago, the Swedish politicians insist to extend the deadly threat of nuclear power and to increase the risk even wanting to construct new reactors. Sweden is already today the largest source of radioactive pollution to the sea. This information is provided with the data of the HELSINKI COMMISSION, a body of scientists of the states around the Baltic Sea. The anti-nuclear group is prepared to introduce a review of the contamination levels of the Oskarshamn nuclear power plant (NPP). To extend the reactors lifetimes or even to build new reactors means to increase the radioactive impact to the Baltic Sea region.

"We wanted to make a stance against the policy of Swedish nuclear lobbyists to increase the atomic threat in Sweden," says Falk Beyer, an organizer with the anti-nuclear sailing trip. "We experienced in the harbour towns along the Swedish coast from Stockholm to Oskarshamn that a great part of the Swedish people is actually opposing nuclear power. Our international campaign formed by activists from Sweden, Germany, Poland, Lithuania, Belarus and Russia aims to support the anti-nuclear struggle in Sweden and other countries around the Baltic Sea. We want to spread the word about the incredible risks of atomic power and point the alternatives - the huge potential of saving energy and the capacities of renewable energy sources - out to the public."

Oskarshamn NPP is polluting the Baltic Sea with radiactive particles in their waste waters and cooling waters released to the Baltic Sea. The atomic power plant also has a negative impact on the ecosystem of the sea close to the site. Activists recognized incredibly warmed up water in the bay close to Oskarshamn NPP. This badly affects the fauna and flora of the Baltic Sea. Besides that permanent pollution of the sea with radioactivity and heat, the temporary storage for high level radioactive waste on site puts a big risk of radioactive releases to the Baltic Sea region.

The campaign "Go. NETwork. ACTogether - For an international energy-change and a nuclear-free world!" is an international anti-nuclear sailing trip that started on August 26 in Stockholm and is heading south along the Swedish coast to the site of the former GDR Greifswald nuclear power plant and today's central repository for atomic waste ZLN (Zwischenlager Nord) to end on September 9. At every harbour the boat stopped at public actions, movie screening on the boat's sails or other public activitivies took place to spread the word about nuclear risks and alternatives.

Tonight the anti-nuclear sailing trip will arrive in the town of Oskarshamn. At 9.00 PM a documentary on the challenges of the Scandinavian concept for final disposal will be projected to the sails of the boat. On Saturday, September 1, a colourful street festival is supposed to take place in the town of Oskarshamn starting at 2 PM. It will be combined with an "Open Ship" event inviting the public to visit the sailing boat, discuss, have some cookies and watch the exhibition on anti-nuclear actions around the Baltic Sea on boat. At 4 PM the lecture on the "Nuclear Waste Disposal Disaster in Germany" will take place on the boat. It gives an impression of the failed final disposal concepts in Germany and points out the insoluble challenges of a safe longterm storage of atomic waste.

Up-to-date information is provided on the blog of the sailing trip at http://gonetact.wordpress.com/.

Dear editor! Contact Falk Beyer (+49 177 7073531, [mailto:falkATnuclear-heritage.net falk AT nuclear-heritage.net]) or Kai Mueller (+46 7202 15868, [mailto:kai.mueller.gpnATgmail.com kai.mueller.gpn AT gmail.com]) for interviews and background information. We will be happy to supply you with photos and other material.

You can also have a look at the blog of the anti-nuclear sailing tour at http://gonetact.wordpress.com and download pictures of the project from https://www.dropbox.com/sh/2u7ogykw6uxa4vj/xpfl0LCJc1.

-- Nuclear Heritage Network Ortsteil Mannsdorf Am Bärental 6 D-04720 Döbeln GERMANY

website: http://nuclear-heritage.net email: [mailto:contactATnuclear-heritage.net contact AT nuclear-heritage.net]

phone: +49 3431 5894177

This media release has been provided by the "Nuclear Heritage Network". It is an international network of anti-nuclear activists. This informal alliance supports the worldwide anti-nuclear work. The Nuclear Heritage Network is no label, has no standard opinion and no representatives. All activists of the network speak for themselves or for the groups they represent.