STRICTLY EMBARGOED UNTIL: 00.01hrs
Thursday 29 March 2001
PRESS RELEASE
DOUNREAY:
CONCERNS OVER LETHAL PARTICLES ON BEACH AND SEA BED
A series of ten recommendations have been made to UKAEA, by an
independent advisory group, in order to bring to an end the contamination
of the seabed around Dounreay and local beaches by deadly radioactive
particles. The recommendations by the Dounreay Particles Advisory
Group (DPAG) follow the raising of a number of "concerns
about a number of aspects of the UKAEA's offshore survey work"
by the group. [1]
Commenting Kevin Dunion, Chief Executive Friends of the Earth
said:
"The advisory group has uncovered some crucial deficiencies
in UKAEA's survey work. UKAEA will have to pull its socks up,
and quickly, if we are ever to discover the true source of these
deadly particles and finally bring to an end the radioactive contamination
of the environment. UKAEA must implement these recommendations
to the letter."
Radioactive particles began appearing on the Dounreay fore shore
and public beach in 1984. In 1997 following the discovery of more
particles on the public beach a 2km fishing ban placed around
plant. To date over 100 particles have been recovered from sea
bed off shore from Dounreay. The fishing ban remains.
NOTES TO EDITORS
[1] SEPA Release 'DOUNREAY PARTICLES ADVISORY GROUP REPORT PUBLISHED'
Details from: 01786 457723/4 (24 pager) 07644 071918
ENTIRE RELEASE FOLLOWS
The report states that: "DPAG is concerned about a number
of aspects of the UKAEA’s offshore survey work and concludes that
less information can be drawn from the 1997-1999 surveys than
might be the case. DPAG has identified issues regarding:
the advantages of using detection apparatus which can discriminate
between different forms of radioactivity; improvements in the
way surveys are controlled; the need to quantify any uncertainties
in the modelling process; and the need to examine raw data
adequately before presenting results."
DPAG made 10 recommendations including: "that UKAEA uses
this information together with findings from its ongoing investigative
studies to carry out more robust surveys and to direct future
research. DPAG also firmly remains of the view that improvement
in survey outcomes will be limited unless UKAEA is able to carry
these out using a system capable of discriminating particles from
natural sources of radiation."
For more info : Kevin Dunion or Lang Banks on 0131 554 9977
(pager) 07654
200937
Release by SEPA:
SCOTTISH ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION AGENCY
28 March 2001
13-03-01
STRICT EMBARGO: 00:01HRS Thursday 29 March 2001
DOUNREAY PARTICLES ADVISORY GROUP REPORT PUBLISHED
The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) has published
the first Interim Report of the Dounreay Particles Advisory Group
(DPAG). The DPAG was set up by SEPA in May 2000 to provide
independent scientific advice to SEPA and the UKAEA on particles
of irradiated nuclear fuel found in the marine environment around
the Dounreay nuclear research facility, Caithness.
The Report acknowledges the substantial progress made into quantifying
the extent of particle contamination of the seabed. However,
it also highlights concerns about a number of aspects of the UKAEA’s
offshore survey work and concludes that less information can be
drawn from the 1997-1999 surveys than might be the case.
DPAG has identified issues regarding:
·
the advantages of using detection apparatus which can discriminate
between different forms of radioactivity
· improvements in the way surveys
are controlled
· the need to quantify any uncertainties in the modelling process
and
· the need to examine raw data adequately before presenting
results
The report contains ten detailed recommendations. It also
identifies a number of areas of future work, including work with
the Food Standards Agency in relation to fishing restrictions,
and two potentially important studies - one to consider the probability
of human contact with particles at Sandside Bay, the other to
look at the public health implications of particles. The
latter will be underpinned by detailed
experiments on the dissolution of radioactivity from particles
in simulated human intestinal systems.
Copies of the DPAG Report are available free from SEPA Public
Relations or from the SEPA Website: www.sepa.org.uk
NOTES FOR EDITORS
1. SEPA Chief Executive Tricia Henton, who chairs the DPAG,
will be available for interview on Wednesday 28 March at SEPA’s
Corporate Office in Stirling.
Contact
SEPA Public Relations to arrange an interview.
Editors
please note that material is embargoed until 00:01hrs on Thursday
29 March.
2. The DPAG Remit
· to provide impartial expert scientific advice to SEPA and the
UKAEA on the UKAEA’s current research programme in respect of
the sea-bed particles, and
· to comment on the techniques being used and the results being
obtained.
The membership of the Group is drawn from a range of skills and
backgrounds.
The Group is chaired by SEPA and technically supported by SEPA
and UKAEA.
The agenda and minutes of the Group are published on the SEPA
web site.
Its
initial work programme of the Group included reviewing the extent
of sea-bed contamination, the key parameters needed to re-assess
the environmental impact of the contamination, and the continuing
need for fishing restrictions. The first point has
been addressed as reported on in this interim report. The
second two items will form part of the future work.
Issued by SEPA Public Relations
Direct Lines 01786 457723/4. Direct Fax 01786 448040
Out of Hours Pager 07644 071918
email: publicaffairs@sepa.org.uk
SEPA Website:
http://www.sepa.org.uk
Scottish Environment Protection Agency, Erskine Court, Castle
Business Park,
Stirling FK9 4TR
Dounreay Particles Advisory Group
Interim Report
Executive Summary
Acronyms
DPAG: Dounreay Particles Advisory Group
FEPA: Food and Environment Protection Act 1995
SEPA: Scottish Environment Protection Agency
UKAEA: UK Atomic Energy Authority
Introduction
The DPAG was set up by SEPA in May 2000 to provide independent
scientific advice to SEPA and the UKAEA on particles of irradiated
nuclear fuel found in the marine environment around the Dounreay
nuclear research facility,
Caithness.
FEPA Order
The detection of these particles in offshore sediments in 1997
resulted in the imposition by the then Scottish Office of a two
kilometre fishing exclusion zone under FEPA.
Following the FEPA Order SEPA published a report which gave an
assessment of the public health implications of offshore particles.
The report and recommendations were considered by the Scottish
Office, and the Secretary of State for Scotland wrote to SEPA
in December 1998 stating that the FEPA restrictions cannot be
lifted until UKAEA finds and quantifies the extent of the contamination
in the local marine environment, and asking SEPA to ensure that
there is sufficient monitoring in place to ensure that any particles
on the beach at Sandside Bay are promptly detected and removed.
DPAG Remit
In 1999 SEPA reviewed the UKAEA research into particles. The DPAG
was set up in light of the research findings and of the need to
advise the Scottish Executive and the Food Standards Agency on
removal of the FEPA restrictions.
The remit of the DPAG is:
· to provide impartial expert scientific advice to SEPA and the
UKAEA on the UKAEA’s current research programme in respect of
the sea-bed particles.
· to comment on the techniques being used and the results being
obtained.
The membership of the Group is drawn from a range of skills and
backgrounds. The Group is chaired by SEPA and technically supported
by SEPA and UKAEA. The agenda and minutes of the Group are published
on the SEPA web site at www.sepa.org.uk. Its initial work programme
of the Group included reviewing the extent of sea-bed contamination,
the key parameters needed to re-assess the environmental impact
of the contamination, and the continuing need for FEPA restrictions.
The first point has been addressed as reported on in this interim
report. The second two items will form part of the future
work.
DPAG Work
The Group met five times between May and December 2000 and has
familiarised itself with the large body of work. Initial
discussions centred on agreed facts. Documents and background
information were made available to, or generated by, the group
and an annotated selected bibliography of the background work
already undertaken was produced. These are all available
from SEPA on request.
This interim report summarises the work of DPAG until December
2000 and sets out briefly the extent of current knowledge on the
particle investigations. It presents the Group’s views on the
UKAEA Offshore Survey Report including survey design and
instrumentation, statistical techniques and interpretation of
data. It considers monitoring of the beaches by UKAEA and has
specific comments on the SEPA review of UKAEA Sandside Beach monitoring
for particles.
As new information and research becomes available the DPAG will
update its understanding in order to provide best possible scientific
advice to SEPA and UKAEA.
Report Findings
The DPAG is supportive of the efforts and approaches made by UKAEA
to find and quantify the extent of contamination in the local
marine environment. It acknowledges the substantial progress made
into quantifying the extent of particle contamination of the seabed.
However, the DPAG is concerned about a number of aspects of the
UKAEA’s offshore survey work and concludes that less information
can be drawn from the 1997-1999 surveys than might be the
case. DPAG has identified issues regarding:
· the advantages of using detection apparatus which can discriminate
between different forms of radioactivity;
· improvements in the way surveys are controlled;
· the need to quantify any uncertainties in the modelling process;
· the need to examine raw data adequately before presenting
results.
Recommendations
More detailed analysis of the offshore data has now enabled a
modified interpretation to be put forward and more robust conclusions
about spatial distribution of the particles and their densities
to be suggested. It is recommended that UKAEA uses this information
together with findings from its ongoing investigative studies
to carry out more robust surveys and to direct future research.
DPAG also firmly remains of the view that improvement in survey
outcomes will be limited unless UKAEA is able to carry these out
using a system capable of discriminating
particles from natural sources of radiation.
The report contains ten detailed recommendations. In addition,
there are a number of issues which the Group intends to address
further as it works towards its stated remit.
The DPAG has only recently received the UKAEA’s current particles
work programme. The DPAG is disappointed that UKAEA could not
make this available in time for consideration and commentary in
this report. Nevertheless DPAG will consider the programme of
future work in the light of the report’s recommendations.
Future Work
The joint SEPA/NRPB report issued in 1998 contained estimates
of the radiation doses that may be received in the unlikely event
that a member of the public did encounter a particle. The Group
recognises the need to work with the Food Standards Agency in
order to ensure the provision of improved information to enable
the re-examination and
the continuing requirement for the FEPA restrictions.
For the future the Group will provide advice to enable UKAEA to
develop a more firmly grounded interpretation of the distribution,
density and origin of particles on the sea-bed and the associated
environmental and health implications, with particular reference
to the FEPA ban. The UKAEA research programme and action plan
will be examined now that is has become available.
Two potentially important studies are being commissioned by SEPA.
The first deals with the public health implications of particles.
This will be underpinned by detailed experiments on the dissolution
of radioactivity from particles in simulated human intestinal
systems. The second will consider the probability of human
contact with articles at Sandside Bay.
The DPAG will examine the key parameters needed to re-assess the
environmental impact of the contamination and will eventually
focus on the continuing need for restriction within the FEPA area.
===========================
Lang Banks
Press & Information Officer
Friends of the Earth Scotland
72 Newhaven Road
Edinburgh EH6 5QG
Tel: 0131 554 9977
Fax: 0131 554 8656
email: lbanks@foe-scotland.org.uk
web: www.foe-scotland.org.uk