HC Deb 14 January 1999 vol 323 cc233-4W
Ms Roseanna Cunningham

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the timescale for the clean-up of the area within two kilometres of the outfall pipe of UKAEA Dounreay; what action has been taken by UKAEA to identify the source of the escaped irradiated nuclear fuel fragments; what action has been taken by UKAEA to clear Sandside beach of all such fragments; when the fishing restriction in this area will next be reviewed by SEPA; what is the nature of SEPA's monitoring of the specified area; what monitoring is carried out on the land and sea adjacent to the specified area; and what scientific advice he has been given, and from whom, regarding the risk to humans on Sandside beach from direct contact with radioactive particles from UKAEA Dounreay. [65051]

Mr. Macdonald

The timescale for clean-up operations can only be considered when survey work has been completed and properly assessed.

The United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) has undertaken a substantial programme of work to determine the source and extent of particles on the seabed adjacent to the Dounreay site. The study takes advantage of state-of-the-art diving and other monitoring technology. The results of this study are expected to be published shortly. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry will then consider possible courses of action.

Since 1983 three particles have been found in Sandside Bay and removed. UKAEA currently monitors the strandline at Sandside Bay weekly, and nearby public beaches twice yearly or following storm activity. UKAEA undertakes such remedial action as is necessary in line with the requirements of the regulators to ensure public safety.

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) will review the fishing restrictions when more complete information is available on the contamination of the seabed and local marine environment or if new information relating to offshore contamination comes to light.

SEPA undertakes monitoring of seafood (collected on a quarterly basis) from within the restricted area and the results are provided to the Scottish Office as well as being published annually. No fragments of irradiated nuclear fuel have been detected in the samples taken from the area.

UKAEA also carries out monitoring of seafood from within the restricted area and further afield. In addition to monitoring nearby public beaches, UKAEA currently monitors the foreshore at Dounreay fortnightly.

The National Radiological Protection Board (NRPB) supplied scientific advice on the risks to human health from encountering fragments of irradiated nuclear fuel. That advice was contained in the report "Fragments of Irradiated Nuclear Fuel in the Dounreay Local Environment" submitted by SEPA to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland, a copy of which was placed in the House of Commons Library following a parliamentary question answered on 15 December 1998, Official Report, column 418, number 64389. The report includes an assessment of the risk to Sandside Bay bait collectors, the group likely to spend more time in contact with the sediment than most other users. NRPB considered the probability of the bait collectors encountering a fuel fragment to be a round 1 in 200,000. The views of the Committee on Medical Aspects of Radiation int he Environment (COMARE) were taken into account by the NRPB.