N-Base Briefing 445


N-Base Briefing 445
5th March 2005

ISSN 1478-4661

Concern over Dunnet contamination

Urgent investigations are underway after radioactive contamination was found on the Dunnet Beach, about 15 miles from Dounreay. Regulators ordered the UKAEA to carry out the first ever survey of the beach and the find came on the third day of the planned 60-day survey.

The caesium-137 contamination was found on seaweed attached to a stone about 250 metres south of the beach's main car park, and investigations are underway to see if it is one the radioactive particles released from Dounreay.

The beach is part of the Dunnet Links national nature reserve and the land is owned by the Highland Council which said it intends erecting warning notices informing the public of the find.

Storm survey

The UKAEA is to start its survey of the seabed off Dounreay early this year to assess the effect of severe storms in January on the distribution of radioactive particles. Divers from sub-contractors Fathoms are due to start their survey work in two weeks and will re-map areas surveyed in previous years

CORWM rift

There are reports of a serious split among members of the Government's Committee on Radioactive Waste Management (CORWM). Dr Keith Baverstock, the former head of the World Health Organisation's Radiation Practice Division, has been suspended from the committee after complaining to environment minister Elliot Morley about the way the chairman, Mr Gordon MacKerron, ran the organisation. Following this suspension another member, Professor David Ball, a risk assessment expert, has 'suspended' himself from the committee. The dispute is reportedly about the speed of the committee work, the way it has approached finding a way of managing the UK's nuclear waste, and its lack of technical expertise.

Tsunami hazards

The United Nations Environment Programme has expressed concern that radioactive and other hazardous wastes illegally dumped off Somalia's coast has been broken-up and scattered along the coast by December's tsunami. Nick Nuttall of UNEP told the BBC that radioactive, chemical, heavy metal and medical wastes have been dumped off the coast because the country had no functioning government or regulation.

Transport survey

The National Radiological Protection Board has published a survey into the radiological impact of the transport of radioactive material in the UK by road and rail. The survey reveals there are about 500,000 radioactive packages transported annually by road and about 4,000 by rail. The full report is available at www.nrpb.org/publications/w_series_reports/2005/nrpb_w66.htm

Skye concerns

Residents on Skye have expressed concern at the visit of a nuclear submarine to one of the Ministry of Defence's 'z-berths'. HMS Trenchant was due to berth at the z-berth in Broadford Bay this weekend but there are concerns about the possible adverse effect on tourism. Some residents have also pointed out that z-berths should now be at least two kilometres from population centres, schools or hospitals.

Guidance consultation

The Health and Safety Executive has started a public consultation on new guidance on the Nuclear Reactors (Environmental Impact Assessment for Decommissioning) Regulations 1999 (EIADR99). An initial draft was published in 1999 for consultation, but the HSE agreed to redraft the guidance after demands from consultees for more information and greater clarity on various issues. Full details at www.hse.gov.uk/consult/condocs/eiadr.htm

Transport checks

The International Atomic Energy Agency is to study the safety of Japan's transport of spent nuclear fuel and high level waste by sea from Europe. The IAEA's Transport Safety Appraisal Services will look at the measures taken to prevent radiation leakages and combat possible terrorist attack.

Higher projection

The International Atomic Energy Agency has significantly increased its projected global nuclear capacity for 2020. Its global estimate has increased from 300 gigawatts in 2000 to 417 GW in 2020. The biggest influence on the increase are the proposed new reactors in China, India, and Russia.

Framework agreement

The UK, Canada, France, Japan and the United States have signed a 'Framework Agreement on International Collaboration in Research and Development on Generation IV Nuclear Energy Systems'. Details on www.dti.gov.uk

New name

British Nuclear Fuels' US subsidiary, BNFL Inc, is to change its name to the British Nuclear Group - BNG America

Freeze objection

Japan has objected to a proposal from International Atomic Energy Agency director general Mohamed ElBaradei to impose a moratorium on nuclear fuel cycle development to try and prevent any further nuclear proliferation.