ST. PETERSBURG, Russia, April 14 (UPI) -- A ship from the environmental group Greenpeace arrived Wednesday in St. Petersburg, Russia, to protest nuclear fuel waste shipments from France.
Environmental activists protested on the docks of St. Petersburg to voice opposition to the arrival of Russian cargo ship Kapitan Kuroptev. The ship is carrying more than 600 tons of depleted uranium from French nuclear conglomerate AREVA, Russia's state-run news agency RIA Novosti reports.
The Russian state-media report adds the uranium isn't considered waste material because it can be reprocessed. Depleted uranium, however, has severe health consequences from long-term exposure.
Greenpeace activists in France last week dismantled rail track to block shipments of nuclear waste to Russia, complaining Russia's nuclear energy company Rosatom was conducting a "hidden trade in nuclear waste."
Rosatom said the issue was a non-starter.
The Greenpeace vessel Esperanza opened its doors to the public Wednesday. A Thursday news conference to offer information about depleted uranium imports.
