A quote from Greenpeace Australia

[Ivor Surveyor <isurveyor@vianet.net.au>]

To Radsafe:


The following statement was copied from the GREENPEACE AUSTRALIAN
site.

"Plutonium is one of the most radiotoxic materials known. An
accident involving the release of even a small fraction of the plutonium
contained in one of these shipments could have a devastating impact on
the region’s environment and public health.
Inhalation a small speck of plutonium can cause fatal lung cancer. It can
also cause serious cross-generational effects in human and other
biological communities. With a radioactive half-life of 24,000 years,
once in the environment, for all practical purposes, it remains deadly
forever.
Accidents happen – the containers for the plutonium fuel are only
tested to a fire of 800 degrees centigrade for 30 minutes. According to
worldwide statistics the average fire on ships burn for 23 hours at
higher temperatures. Tests on plutonium MOX fuel has shown that it will
start to break down within 15 minutes in temperatures of only 430 degrees
centigrade. Once this happens, breathable particles of plutonium can
escape into the air, posing a serious health risk to all life. 
Australian nuclear transports"


My    question to radsafe is
this:    Is Greenpeace correct in it claim about
containers used in the shipment of MOX fuel?    Are these
containers a potential risk in the case of a fire aboard ship?

Ivor Surveyor [isurveyor@vianet.net.au]

Emeritus Consultant Physician

Nuclear Medicine

Royal Perth Hospital