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Published:
April 28, 2006
Hinkley
Point gets all-clear after Environment Agency radiation checks
Increased
monitoring of beaches and sea water around Hinkley Point nuclear
power station has shown radiation levels to be within acceptable
limits, the Environment Agency announced on Friday (April 28th).
Last
year, the Agency stepped up its monitoring of the site after a
member of the public reported abnormal radiation readings at nearby
Kilve Beach. The person used a Geiger Counter after his pet dog
died after it had been exercised on Kilve Beach.
British
Nuclear Group, the operators of Hinkley Point, are authorised
by the Environment Agency to discharge small amounts of radioactivity
into the Bristol Channel.
 The
radioactivity is contained in liquid effluents. Discharge levels
are closely regulated by the Agency under the Radioactive Substances
Act 1993. The Agency routinely monitors Kilve Beach for radioactivity
as part of its regulation and monitoring of the power station
and surrounding area.
In
September 2005 Environment Agency officers visited Kilve Beach
with the member of public who had earlier reported high levels
of radioactivity. Neither he or the Agency specialists could reproduce
the levels that were claimed to have been found.
As
a precautionary measure Agency scientists carried out further
monitoring between October 2005 and March 2006. On each occasion,
radioactivity was found to be within background levels. Gamma
dose rates were also found to be within the normal range.
The
checks on Kilve Beach followed routine discharges from Hinkley
Point. The monitoring assessed radiation at the strand line, at
the low tide mark and across the beach in general over a three
day period.
At
the same time as the Environment Agency checks, routine monitoring
carried out by the site operators revealed slightly elevated levels
of Strontium-90 in two sediment samples. Although detectable,
they were within safe limits and did not pose a threat to the
environment or human health.
 The
final tests carried out by the Agency between February 27 –
March 1 included other local beaches including Burnham-On-Sea,
Weston-super-Mare, Steart Flats, Watchet Harbour, Blue Anchor,
Hinkley Point Beach and the River Parrett. Once again, no activity
above background radiation levels were detected.
"The
Strontium-90 was present at extremely low levels and within normal
limits. However, as a precaution we have advised Hinkley A site
operators to cease certain pond operations until we are satisfied
that sufficient measures are in place to ensure levels of radioactivity
are kept to a minimum," said Anil Koshti for the Environment
Agency.
British
Nuclear Group were required to carry out quarterly monitoring
at locations around the coastal area of Hinkley Point. The Agency
has now asked British Nuclear Group to increase this sampling
to include Kilve Beach in the quarterly monitoring, and to carry
out analysis for Strontium 90 in sediment samples from all the
eleven sampling locations.
As
an additional precaution, the Environment Agency has increased
its independent gamma dose surveys to quarterly instead of six-monthly
and made changes to its sediment and effluent monitoring programmes.
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