Sellafield Site of a nuclear power station on the Irish Sea coast in Cumbria, nw England. It opened as Windscale in 1956. In 1957, a fire led to a serious radioactive emission. Between 1968 and 1979, it discharged more than 180kg (397lb) of plutonium into the Irish Sea, the world's largest discharge of nuclear waste. In 1979, the site was renamed as part of an effort to improve its image. In 1990, reports revealed that the children of Sellafield workers had an increased risk of leukemia due to radiation exposure levels at the site.

Sellafield the site of a nuclear power station and reprocessing plant on the coast of Cumbria in NW England. It was the scene in 1957 of a fire which caused a serious escape of radioactive material. It was formerly (1947–81) called Windscale.