Sellafield Ltd has been ordered to pay a record fine of £700,000 after carrier bags containing low level radioactive waste were mistakingly sent to a landfill in Cumbria.
The judge at Carlisle Crown Court said it was a 'fundamental management mistake'.
Anti-nuclear protesters have been demonstrating in Whitehaven against a law that allows low level nuclear waste to be dumped at a landfill site in west Cumbria.
It was introduced in 2011 but so far no such waste from outside Cumbria has arrived there.
Radiation Free Lakeland says that could change though with material coming from Scotland in particular.
It's backing local councillors in the area who oppose the plan and wants to take the issue one stage further.
Samantha Parker reports:
A group of West Cumbrian councillors today called for a reversal of the decision not to allow the underground storage of nuclear waste. At a heated meeting this afternoon they claimed there was no coherent reason for the decision.
But their plea was rejected and the decision stands - Cumbria will not bury nuclear waste. This is John Bevir's full report.
The scrutiny committee at Cumbria County Council has decided not to re-examine the initial decision against a potential underground nuclear waste dump in Cumbria.
The committee examined how and why the decision was reached to rule the county out of the project.
The company that runs the Sellafield nuclear site in west Cumbria has pleaded guilty to seven charges relating to the illegal dumping of nuclear waste.
The company faces charges concerning the disposal of intermediate and low level waste bags on Lillyhall landfill site.
Sellafield Ltd, which is responsible for around 70% of the UK's higher radioactive waste, reported the 2010 incident to the Environment Agency at the time.
A day after Cumbria County councillors voted to stop the search for an underground nuclear waste store in the county there are claims that it could still be built.
At the moment 70 per cent of Britain's nuclear waste is stored above ground at Sellafield.
The trade unions there and some local politicians are looking at ways of re-starting the process.
Watch the full report from Tim Backshall below.
Allerdale Borough Council have voted yes to look for a nuclear waste disposal site in west Cumbria.
The voting carried a 5-2 majority.
– Alan Smith, Leader, Allerdale Borough Council"It was right for us to undertake our own debate on this issue.
"I personally think that Cumbria County Council have got it wrong. We will enter into a conversation with Government to see if there is any way we can still go forward."
Protestors who were backng the nuclear waste disposal site campaign are disappointed with Cumbria County Council's decision:
Protestors campaigning against the nuclear disposal site for west Cumbria are ecstatic with the decision:
The leader of Cumbria County Council, Eddie Martin, has spoken about the nuclear waste decision:
