Germany approves disputed nuclear shipment to Russia

Germany approves disputed nuclear shipment to Russia
Berlin (AFP) Sept 23, 2010 - German authorities approved Thursday hotly disputed plans to ship radioactive nuclear waste to Russia in a move expected to spark fresh protests by atomic energy opponents in both countries. Germany's nuclear watchdog green-lighted the shipment of 951 spent fuel elements from the temporary storage site Ahaus in the west of the country to the Mayak nuclear facility, 2,000 kilometres (1,200 miles) east of Moscow.
"The fuel elements... will be returned to Russia on the basis of the Russian Research Reactor Fuel Return Programme agreed between the United States, Russia and the International Atomic Energy Agency," the Federal Office for Radiation Protection said in a statement.
It did not release a date for the shipment, which will be packaged in a maximum of 18 specially sealed containers.