Caithness.org News Bulletins

A suspected radioactive particle resulting from historical operations at Dounreay was found during routine monitoring of Sandside Beach today.

The particle was removed from the beach and taken to the site for analysis.

The regulators and other interested parties have been informed.  Initial indications suggest that the particle is similar in type and characteristic to the other 17 that have been found on the beach since 1984. The particles are small specks of irradiated fuel, similar in size to a grain of sand. They result from operations in the 1960s.

UKAEA carries out a comprehensive and systematic programme of beach monitoring agreed with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency.

As part of UKAEA's commitment to restoration of the environment, surveys of the strandline at Sandside are carried out once a week and the whole beach is monitored once a month. This is in accordance with guidance issued by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency.

All publicly accessible beaches along a stretch of coastline from Thurso to Sandside are monitored every three months. No particles have been found except at Sandside.

UKAEA is working closely with a number of organisations to identify solutions to the particle issue. The programme of work has been published on the UKAEA website at
http://www.ukaea.org.uk/sites/dounreay/particles/particles.pdf