Impacts of Dounreay radioactive discharges to be focus of new research
A Scottish research team is gearing up to carry out the latest study on what impact authorised radioactive discharges from Dounreay have on local habits and consumption patterns.
It is to include a mail shot of residents living near the plant and interviews with people out and about on local beaches.
The work carried out for the Scottish Environment Protection Agency supplements the routine radiological monitoring in the area undertaken by Dounreay contractors.
The Stirling University team are to focus on land extending from the site to Crosskirk in the east and Red Point on the west and the coastline from Armadale Bay to Dunnet Head.
Four or five of the environmental scientists will be out and about to do the interviews on local beaches with local people and visitors on June 6-12 and July 3-9.
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Ishbel Dale, quality manager at the university’s Environmental Radioactivity Laboratory, said: “We’re seeking to establish how people use the environment and also what local produce they grow and consume.”
The last habits survey was carried out in 2018 with the latest of the scheduled five yearly follow-ups delayed because of the Covid pandemic.
The last one found the highest doses were well below the one millisievert annual public limit.
Among its recommendations were that apples, blackberries, pig meat, winkles and nettles be included in future monitoring programmes along with venison from Shebster and Sandside.
