Monitoring beaches near Sellafield for radioactive material
Updated 7 May 2021
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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/monitoring-beaches-near-sellafield-for-radioactive-material/monitoring-beaches-near-sellafield-for-radioactive-material
Nuclear site operators with environmental permits must monitor radioactivity in the environment. This is a condition the Environment Agency imposes on the operator when it issues them with a permit.
The monitoring is important to confirm that:
- discharges of radioactive waste from nuclear sites are being properly controlled
- the impacts of discharges on people and the environment are being minimised
Operators must use the ‘best available techniques’ when monitoring and also use any improved techniques that may become available. The Environment Agency assesses the suitability of monitoring programmes and their results.
In 2006, Sellafield Ltd tested a new vehicle-mounted detector system to monitor local beaches for radioactive objects. This equipment has since been improved and is used to routinely monitor beaches near the Sellafield site. Radioactive objects found are taken from the beach and sent for laboratory analysis.
A vehicle-mounted detector system monitors beaches near Sellafield for radioactive objects (photo courtesy of Sellafield Ltd).
Smaller objects, the size of a grain of sand or smaller (less than 2mm in diameter) are known as particles. Larger objects include grit, pebbles, stones and other non-natural items such as slivers of plastic or metal.
The beach monitoring programme carried out by Sellafield Ltd has focused on areas between St Bees and Drigg. It has also included areas as far south as Silecroft, and the Solway Firth to the north.
Please note that:
- there are no on-going discharges of radioactive particles or objects into the environment
- the objects found relate to past events and incidents that took place at Sellafield 25 to 40 years ago
- public health advice is that the health risks from radioactive objects is very low and no action is needed to prevent or limit access to beaches affected by contamination
Results of monitoring
From 2006 to the end of 2020, Sellafield Ltd has:
- monitored a total beach area of almost 2,500 hectares
- found and removed 2,611 radioactive particles and 724 radioactive larger objects from the beaches and seabed
The number of particles and larger objects found in each of the areas monitored between 2006 and 2020 is shown in this table:
Number of particles and larger objects found in monitored areas between 2006 and 2020
| Beach location | Area covered (hectares) | Total particles found | Total larger objects found |
|---|---|---|---|
| Allonby | 113 | 18 | 1 |
| Northern beaches | 833 | 799 | 0 |
| Sellafield | 887 | 1,643 | 716 |
| Southern beaches | 558 | 131 | 6 |
| Other beaches | 78 | 19 | 1 |
| Seabed | Not applicable | 1 | 0 |
| Total | 2,469 | 2,611 | 724 |
Most of the particles have been found on the stretch of beach around 3km north from the Sellafield site, up to and including Braystones (in the northern beaches). Nearly all of the larger objects have been found on the Sellafield beach, close to the site itself.
Between 2011 and 2014, Sellafield Ltd carried out offshore monitoring of the seabed as part of work to understand the extent of contamination. It detected one particle but, due to the practical difficulties of trying to detect radioactive material underwater, the monitoring only covered a small area of seabed.
See more data and annual reports about Sellafield’s monitoring programmes.
Types of objects found
Particles and larger objects are classified according to the type of radioactivity they emit. Objects contaminated mainly with:
- americium-241 and plutonium are classified as ‘alpha-rich’
- caesium-137, cobalt-60 or strontium-90, are classified as ‘beta-rich’
The monitoring results indicate that the trends of find rates for particles and larger objects are reducing with time. This suggests that the monitoring and retrieval programme is making good progress in removing these objects from the environment.
Find rates for alpha-rich particles increased in 2009 and 2014, but this coincided with the introduction of improved detection systems. Find rates have fallen in subsequent years.
Find rates throughout the 10 years of monitoring have been low. Levels are much lower than those that would trigger the need for action to protect the public. This action (called intervention) could include things like introducing signage or closing the beaches.
Risks to the public
The chance of coming into contact with any radioactive object is very low. If you do come across one, then the hazard it poses depends on the size and type of radiation it emits.
Alpha-rich particles or larger objects
The health risks from these types of object are small if they remain outside the body. Accidentally swallowing or inhaling a small number of particles with the highest alpha radioactivity content could possibly give a significant radiation dose over the long term. This could cause an increased risk of cancer. However, the chances of finding and then swallowing or inhaling such a particle are very low.
The risk from larger objects is very low as they are too large to be easily inhaled or swallowed.
Beta-rich particles or stones
A potential hazard from these types of object is temporary skin reddening, or minor ulceration. This would only happen if the object was kept in prolonged (at least a few hours) contact with exactly the same area of skin. However, the chance of finding such a particle, and then for it to remain in prolonged contact with the skin, is very low.
The health effects and risk from inhaling or swallowing these types of objects are lower than that for alpha-rich objects because beta radiation is less damaging to tissues and organs than alpha radiation.
Public health advice
Public Health England (PHE) is the main UK body that advises on the health risks from contact with radioactive objects. The Environment Agency commissioned PHE to carry out and publish an assessment of health risks from radioactive objects on the beaches near Sellafield. See summary report Assessing the risk to people’s health from radioactive objects on beaches around the Sellafield site.
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) advises on the health risks from swallowing radioactive objects through food consumption, for example in seafood.
The advice from PHE and FSA is that the risk to the public from the radioactive particles and larger objects found on West Cumbrian beaches is very low. Therefore measures to protect the public are not needed.
The Environment Agency will keep PHE and the FSA informed if there are any notable changes in the find rates or types of finds from the beach monitoring programme.
How the organisations work together
To make sure the public and environment are protected, the Environment Agency works and consults with a number of partner agencies and organisations.
Organisations with a role in protecting the public from radioactive objects have formed a Sellafield particles working group. This group meets periodically to review the findings of the monitoring programme and confirm the future programme.
The group includes:
- Environment Agency
- PHE
- FSA
- Nuclear Decommissioning Authority
- Sellafield Ltd
- Copeland Borough Council and Allerdale Borough Council (as corresponding members)
The work of this group is overseen by the Committee on Medical Aspects of Radiation in the Environment (COMARE). COMARE is a Department of Health and Social Care expert committee that provides independent advice to government departments and agencies.
The Environment Agency has developed a Sellafield radioactive objects notification and intervention plan with the other organisations involved in protecting the public. This plan sets out how new objects found will continue to be assessed in future. It also explains how the different organisations will work together to:
- protect the public and environment from any harm that could be caused by radioactive objects on west Cumbria beaches
- respond to a discovery of radioactive material – a notably unusual single find or a notable overall change in the find rate, activity or trends
Future activity
The Environment Agency will continue to make sure that Sellafield Ltd carry out appropriate beach monitoring. This will ensure that the risks to beach users from radioactive particles remain low.
The Environment Agency will also continue to inspect and regulate Sellafield Ltd’s arrangements for preventing and minimising any potential release of particles.
Contact
For more information please email the Environment Agency’s Nuclear Regulation Group: [email protected].