The 9th meeting of the Dounreay Particles Advisory Group (DPAG) will take place at 9am on Wednesday 21 November at the Dingwall office of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA). The meeting is open to the public and will last around four hours. The aim of the group is to provide impartial expert scientific advice on the current UKAEA research programme into particles in the Dounreay local environment. The group makes recommendations to UKAEA about ways it can improve its monitoring and research programmes for particles in local Dounreay sediments.

DPAG was convened by SEPA in May 2000. Its members are from universities, National Radiological Protection Board, health boards and fisheries science, and it is chaired by a SEPA director. The formation of the group followed recommendations made by SEPA to the Scottish Office (now the Scottish Executive) in December 1998. The meeting has been moved from its usual location in Edinburgh to Dingwall to achieve a balance between making it easier for people in the north to attend, and the need to use members' time effectively.

The agenda items include:

• a presentation by Dr Philip Day of Manchester University
  
• SEPA's detection criteria for beach monitoring
  
• a presentation of modelling work on offshore sediment transport
  
• preliminary results of offshore particle studies
  
• review of DPAG and future work.
  
  

Notes to editors

1. A copy of the agenda will be available from Monday afternoon on SEPA's website. Copies of the previous meetings' minutes are also available. The approved minutes of the 8th meeting will appear on the website by Friday 23 November.

( click here )

2. The chair of DPAG, Dr Campbell Gemmell will be available for interview between 1 and 2pm (the meeting is expected to finish around 1pm). Dr Gemmell is SEPA's Director of Strategic Planning.

3. SEPA's Dingwall office is at Graesser House, Dingwall Business Park, Dingwall. A map is available from SEPA's website - www.sepa.org.uk/contact/locations.htm

4. SEPA is responsible for regulating disposal of radioactive waste from nuclear sites and other premises such as industrial, hospital and research premises under the Radioactive Substances Act 1993. SEPA also regulates the keeping and use of radioactive material.