A number of shipments of radioactive waste have left a number of German nuclear plants headed for reprocessing at the Sellafield plant in northern England.
The cargos, from the Stade, Kruemmel and Unterweser plants in the north and Essenbach in the south, are to be brought together at a secret location in Germany before heading to Britain together.
Nuclear waste shipments have met with sometimes violent protests in the past in Germany, which is gradually phasing out atomic power, but police said no incidents had so far been reported.
Ireland has tried to block the opening of a MOX (mixed plutonium and uranium oxide) retreatment plant at the Sellafield complex.
The Government claims the plant, on the northwestern coast of England, pollutes the Irish Sea.
Since the September 11th, 2001 attacks on the US there have also been fears that the plant may be a target for a terrorist attack.
AFP