Dalgety Bay
Background
Dalgety Bay is located on the north side of the Forth Estuary in
Fife.
Radioactive material was first detected on a part of the
foreshore at Dalgety Bay in 1990. Monitoring has been undertaken by
both SEPA and the Ministry of Defence and periodically radioactive
material has been removed. It is thought that the contamination
originates from the residue of radium coated instrument panels from
military aircraft incinerated and land-filled in the area at end of
World War II.
The radium used by the MoD was primarily in luminescent paints.
Radium based luminescent paint was typically made by mixing a
radium salt, zinc sulphide and a carrier material (typically
varnish or lacquer).
Recent history
Many surveys have been undertaken on the beach to determine the
potential numbers of items present and possible implications for
public health. SEPA has undertaken a number of recent monitoring
and assessment exercises at Dalgety Bay and these can be viewed on
the Dalgety Bay reports page on our
website, this includes the 2011
September Dalgety Bay Assessment. 
(2.75mb)
Below are data for the sources SEPA recovered from Dalgety
Bay between September 2011 and October 2012:
The monitoring of shellfish from Dalgety Bay
started in February 2012. Cockles, winkles and mussels are being
collected on a monthly basis (subject to sample availability) from
a number of locations within the bay. Below are the results of the
monitoring conducted in February – July 2012. The monitoring is
still ongoing and the results will be updated on a quarterly
basis.
Current situation
The total number of radioactive sources (particles) that have
now been recovered since the beginning of our investigation in
September 2011 is over 1,000. Of these sources, five had a
radioactivity content of greater than 1 MBq of Radium-226 (1 Mega
Becquerel = 1,000,000 Bq). Four of these sources were located in
the area which is currently cordoned off and the fifth on an area
in front of the headland which is only accessible at low tide.
Currently, the MoD is undertaking a programme of investigation
to determine the extent and magnitude of the contamination at
Dalgety Bay. This investigation forms part of our
inspection of the land under the Radioactive Contaminated Land
(Scotland) Regulations 2007 and will lead to the development of
remediation options. From those options, we will determine the
most appropriate remediation plan. In the meantime, the MoD
has committed to a programme of monthly monitoring and retrieval in
the affected area at Dalgety Bay. We have oversight of this
programme. The detection and removal of radioactive particles
close to the surface of the land reduces the possibility of a
member of the public coming into contact with these
particles. However, we urge the public to continue to follow
the advice on signs at the site – don’t remove anything from
the beach and wash your hands upon leaving the area.
Links
Further information from NHS Fife 
Food
Standards Agency in Scotland
Further information
In this section of the website you can find information on: