RISK of flooding to the salt mine will be fully investigated by the Environment Agency before a licence is granted to Minosus to store waste there, it has been revealed.

The organisation announced last week that because Winsford Salt Mine flooded in 1968, a risk assessment will be carried out to see whether there is any chance of it happening again.

If there is any danger, Minosus may not be granted a licence.

David Newbury, of the Environment Agency, explained: "One thing we will be looking at carefully is the possibility of water entering the mine through one of the existing shafts.

"If it did get into the mine the scenario is, over a long period of time the whole underground workings including the waste would be immersed in brine. What we will be looking at is whether the waste could react with this brine."

Roger Lamming, protection manager at the Environment Agency, added: "Our main aim is to prevent pollution and harm to human health.

"Because this application is rather unique to this country, we will be looking at it very carefully indeed."

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