Greenpeace Rallies Against Turkish Nuclear Energy Institute

Greenpeace officer defended that the Turkish Nuclear Energy Institute should be held responsible for the investigation of hazardous nuclear activity throughout the country, adding that their failure raised doubts concerning institution's future involvement with nuclear plants in Turkey.

"The institution report said nothing about any Isotope Europium 152, a material that can't be found in the environment by itself. The institute should have disclosed the source of radiation to address doubts."

Early this week, high radiation levels were found at an old lead factory zone where dozens of kids used for playground in Gazidemir, Izmir province.

After several media covered the incident that raised fears amid Gazidemir about a potential nuclear leakage, the Turkish Nuclear Energy Institute dispatched an expert team to the zone for investigation.

The team released an investigation report on the zone, saying that the radiation levels do not pose a threat to the environment and the radioactivity source could not be tracked--a statement that hardly satisfied any residents surrounding the zone.

Opposition deputy Emre Köprülü submitted a parliament commission request on Wednesday for the investigation of the factory zone by a team of deputies.

"We have the technology to analyse materials dating back four million years. I don't understand how the Turkish Nuclear Energy Institute is unable to track the source of radiation in the lead factory zone," Greenpeace campaign officer Cenk Levi said.

Levi said the institute only warned the factory owners in the past years without a thorough investigation even the possibility of a radioactive leakage was always present. "Kids are playing on the zone every day. Is the institution only responsible for putting a fence around it? They must have a say on the public health and safety. But it looks like they prefer not doing anything. (EA/HK)