Homer Simpson works at Sellafield

A "catalogue of dubious practices", including sabotage and safety measures based on "guesswork", at the Sellafield plant treating Britain's most dangerous nuclear waste is revealed in an internal report seen by the Independent on Sunday.

The document says that the plant is "potentially dangerous" and is "becoming difficult to operate properly". One of its section headings reads: "Homer Simpson works at Sellafield".

The British Nuclear Fuels-run 250 million ($638 million) waste vitrification plant binds the most highly radioactive and dangerous waste produced by the nuclear industry in glass so it can be stored and disposed of easily.

"Control cables to vital robotic arms in the [plant] have been cut, waste drums that should hold solid glass have been accidentally filled with highly active liquid waste, faults in safety mechanisms are not reported properly".

More than 20 crucibles used to make the highly radioactive glass have split while being used and an inspection of drums filled with the waste three years ago found that up to a third were not safe enough to be returned to customers for disposal.