The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) has published the first Interim Report of the Dounreay Particles Advisory Group (DPAG). The DPAG was set up by SEPA in May 2000 to provide independent scientific advice to SEPA and the UKAEA on particles of irradiated nuclear fuel found in the marine environment around the Dounreay nuclear research facility, Caithness.

The Report acknowledges the substantial progress made into quantifying the extent of particle contamination of the seabed. However, it also highlights concerns about a number of aspects of the UKAEA's offshore survey work and concludes that less information can be drawn from the 1997-1999 surveys than might be the case. DPAG has identified issues regarding:

· the advantages of using detection apparatus which can discriminate between different forms of radioactivity

· improvements in the way surveys are controlled

· the need to quantify any uncertainties in the modelling process and

· the need to examine raw data adequately before presenting results

The report contains ten detailed recommendations. It also identifies a number of areas of future work, including work with the Food Standards Agency in relation to fishing restrictions, and two potentially important studies - one to consider the probability of human contact with particles at Sandside Bay, the other to look at the public health implications of particles. The latter will be underpinned by detailed experiments on the dissolution of radioactivity from particles in simulated human intestinal systems.

Copies of the DPAG Report are available free from SEPA Public Relations or from the SEPA Website: Click Here


ENDS


Notes for editors

SEPA Chief Executive Tricia Henton, who chairs the DPAG, will be available for interview on Wednesday 28 March at SEPA's Corporate Office in Stirling. Contact SEPA Public Relations to arrange an interview. Editors please note that material is embargoed until 00:01hrs on Thursday 29 March.

The DPAG Remit

• to provide impartial expert scientific advice to SEPA and the UKAEA on the UKAEA's current research programme in respect of the sea-bed particles, and.
  
• to comment on the techniques being used and the results being obtained
  

The membership of the Group is drawn from a range of skills and backgrounds. The Group is chaired by SEPA and technically supported by SEPA and UKAEA. The agenda and minutes of the Group are published on the SEPA web site. Its initial work programme of the Group included reviewing the extent of sea-bed contamination, the key parameters needed to re-assess the environmental impact of the contamination, and the continuing need for fishing restrictions. The first point has been addressed as reported on in this interim report. The second two items will form part of the future work.