FRANCE: Champagne council fails to halt nuclear waste site

By just-drinks.com editorial team | 27 October 2010

Champagne council appeal fails

Champagne's ruling council has warned producers to be vigilant after it failed to prevent the continuation of a nuclear waste site only few miles from vineyards.

A French court has turned down an appeal by the CIVC, Champagne's trade body, that sought to force France's nuclear energy agency to stop processing radioactive waste at the site at Soulaines, which is less than ten miles from designated Champagne vineyards.

A CIVC spokesperson told just-drinks today (27 October) that winemakers should be on their guard. "We cannot take for granted that there is no risk of contamination, we shall remain vigilant," he said.

The Soulaines site was shut in 2005 after a crack was discovered in one of the vats containing radioactive waste. "This revealed a flaw in the conception of the storage cells of the site," France's nuclear safety watchdog said at the time. The facility was reopened in 2006.

Sectors: Environmental issues, Wine