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The Baltic Sea is the most radioactive sea in the world - as there is not much water exchange with the ocean all radioactivity reaching it once gets concentrated here. The biggest (historical) atomic polluters of the Baltic Sea are the 1986 reactor catastrophe of Chernobyl, the earlier worldwide nuclear bomb tests on the surface and the releases of the nuclear facilities in Sellafield (UK).

Additionally there are the later impacts of the nuclear power plants (NPP) around the Baltic Sea. The Swedish reactors have the biggest impact to the radioactivity of the Baltic Sea, followed by the Finnish reactors and eventually by the russian facilities. Nuclear waste, uranium and fuel element transports across the Baltic Sea are increasing the atomic risk as well as the proposed final repositories for high level radioactive waste beneath (!) the Baltic Sea in in Forsmark (Sweden) and Olkiluoto (Finland). In case of a realization of the plans for uranium mining and NPP construction projects in Scandinavia the radioactive contamination of the Baltic Sea will be increased even more.

Besides scientific circles the knowledge about the Baltic Sea's radioactivity is rarely spread. In some regions it lacks even a basid knowleadge and awareness of the risks of the atomic technology, or even the existence of certain facilities is not known by many people around this inland sea.

While a pretty active anti-nuclear movement is existing in Germany, the former strong movements of Denmark and Sweden have disappeared nearly completely and the process of establishing new groups again occurs slowly since people are confronted with new projects of the nuclear industry. Also in Finland a lively new movement against the atomic projects is developing during the last few years in close exchange with and supported by international activists.

The movements of the regions around the Baltic Sea are supposed to be supported by an infotour of anti-nuclear activists. People from several countries will travel some 6,000 kilometers and stop in 13 places to provide in cooperation with local groups information events, do street actions and invite to regional network gatherings. The activity's goal is to inform as many people as possible about the radioactive contamination of the Baltic Sea focussing also in certain nuclear sites and to educate about their specific risks as well as to develop and strengthen international networks of anti-nuclear groups and activists in a long-term perspective.

Last Saturday June 19 a biketour started from the harbour city Turku in Finland to Mariehamn on the autonomous Finnish province Aland between Finland and Sweden. Using bikes and small ferries they are crossing several islands of the Aland archipegalo heading to the main island where the official launching of the infotour will take place on next Tuesday June 22.

At each place the infotour will stop for three days. In cooperation with local activists the events will be prepared, contacts will be made and actions will be done. Every stop of the infotour has its own webpage providing detailed information about the activities and requirements there. An overview is provided by the main page of the infotour: http://baltic-tour.nuclear-heritage.net .

In Germany the infotour will stop from July 26-28 - at the site of the former GDR NPP in Lubmin close to Greifswald. These days the intermediate repository for nuclear waste ZLN ("Zwischenlager Nord") ist located - just this year it is supposed to be the destination of castor transports (high level radioactive waste shipments). The infotour is aiming to help to mobilize here against these castor transports and to support the activists in Greifswald with their anti-nuclear activities.

Additional participants of the tour are very welcome - independently if you want to join the whole infotour or if you will participate only in parts of it! We are also happy about people who have no more possibilities than only joining certain single events of the tour. Please announce yourself to tour@nuclear-heritage.net as soon as possible!

Email: tour@nuclear-heritage.net

Phone: +358 41 7243254

http://baltic-tour.nuclear-heritage.net