Dounreay: New two radioactive particles found at Sandside beach
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Two new radioactive particles have been found at Sandside beach near Dounreay.
The discoveries, reported this week, were found on September 27 and October 16, and are categorised as “minor”.
The depth of the earlier find could not be ascertained due to tides, but the more recent particle was at a depth of 8cm.
The total number of finds at Sandside in 2023 now stands at five.
Dounreay says that "an important part of the work to close down Dounreay is to address the legacy of radioactive particles in the marine environment around the site".
Beaches on either side of Dounreay are monitored routinely using radiation detection instruments and any particles found are removed and taken to Dounreay for analysis.
The programme is agreed and independently regulated by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), and funded by the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority.
The Dounreay website states that the current expert advice is that the risk to the public on local beaches is very low, so there are no restrictions on public use.
