Campaign groups want answers on increase in radioactive particles found on Dounreay foreshore
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Anti-nuclear campaigners want to know why there has been a rise in the number of radioactive particles found at the Dounreay foreshore this year.
Highlands Against Nuclear Transport (HANT) and the Nuclear Free Local Authorities Scottish Forum have written to site managing director Mark Rouse and Nicole Paterson, the chief executive of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa).
The campaigners claim the information about the particles is "sketchy, incomplete and out-of-date" and want the Dounreay Stakeholder Group (DSG) and the local and national press to receive regular reports about their detection and retrieval.
They point out that 15 particles, containing caesium 137 and cobalt 60, were found between February and March. Seventy-three per cent of them were described as “significant” and said to have "a realistic potential to cause harm to members of the public". Five particles were found in the whole of 2021.
The campaign groups are "disturbed and disappointed" that news about the discovery of the latest particles was revealed in the national and local press, rather than "properly conveyed" through the DSG.
In their letter to Mr Rouse and Ms Paterson they say: "No reference to the discovery of particles was made at the public meeting of the Dounreay Stakeholder Group on March 23 and, at the Site Restoration Sub-Group meeting on October 19, the increase in the particles was described as ‘weather related’.
"DSG members did not receive bespoke letters nor was a special meeting convened to explain the situation and the remedial action that was being taken, a suggestion which HANT originally raised at a meeting of the DSG Site Restoration Group in January 2022."
The campaigners point out that the Dounreay Stakeholder Group, Caithness West Community Council, and Buldoo Residents Association "all expressed grave misgivings at the unsatisfactory situation".
In a joint statement, the campaign groups say: "Over forty years, three experimental reactors operated at various times, with the final reactor being shut down in 1994. Now Dounreay Site Restoration Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, is responsible for decommissioning the site and for public safety, operating with a budget of around £200 million per annum in taxpayer money."
They add: "Irradiated nuclear fuel particles on the seabed near the plant are estimated to number several hundreds of thousands; these milled shards were thought to have washed into the sea as cooling ponds were drained between 1963 and 1984. As of 2011, over 2300 radioactive particles had been recovered from the sea floor, and almost 500 from the beaches, meaning there are still many tens of thousands of undiscovered particles out at sea or on land.
"In recognition of the danger, access to the beach has been prohibited since 1983 and fishing has been banned within two kilometres (one nautical mile) of the plant since 1997."
Earlier this month, DSG members expressed their frustration at the time they had to wait to find out about the discoveries.
Former Highland councillor Gillian Coghill, who chairs the Buldoo Residents Group, said it was unacceptable the public did not find out the information until seven months later when reports appeared in the press.
She called for updates on the particles as soon as they are found. Her concerns were shared by David Craig of the Caithness West Community Council. He said the rise in the number discovered on the foreshore is causing concern to the public and stressed the 15 found up to March was the highest since 17 were discovered 26 years ago.
HANT chairman Tor Justad was not reassured by being told the public does not use the foreshore. He said: "That is not helpful. Radiation knows no boundaries and there is concern that it could affect a much wider area than that. We are not getting the information the public is looking for, especially the people living in the immediate area."
DSG chairman Struan Mackie said it is important the group gets reports on the particles in "a timely manner" and is informed about such issues.
Mac MacGill, Dounreay security and resilience director, acknowledged there was an increase in radioactive particles found on the foreshore this year and stressed that monitoring will continue. He said the risk to the public remains low.
