Sunday, 1 October, 2000, 13:57 GMT 14:57 UK
Workers in contaminated homes
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/uk/scotland/newsid_951000/951370.stm

Plant bosses say proceedures have been improved

A study has revealed that Dounreay Nuclear Plant workers have been contaminating their homes with radioactive particles from their clothes.

The investigation was carried out by Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (Sepa), but has only just been made public.

It focused on measuring the levels of plutonium inside houses in Thurso, Caithness - which is near Dounreay - and Banff, Aberdeenshire.

Experts found that the pollutant was "significantly higher" in houses occupied by Dounreay employees.

In some properties plutonium and americium, another radioactive substance, was found to be 50 times higher than what is accepted as normal.

Friends of the Earth Scotland said the report represented "valuable evidence" for scientists probing the possible link between nuclear plants and some forms of cancer.

Household dust was examined from 34 homes in Thurso, 21 of which contained nuclear plant workers, and compared the results with those from 20 homes in Banff, Aberdeenshire, where there is no nearby source of nuclear radiation.

The report says: "The levels of plutonium found in household dust collected in Thurso were consistent with the hypothesis that very low-level personal contamination causes contamination of household dust."

'Radioactive threat'

It also notes that houses in the Pennyland and Mount Vernon areas of the Thurso, where three-quarters of residents work at Dounreay, had higher levels of contamination than in other areas.

FoE's Scotland Director Kevin Dunion said: "As a matter of urgency we must find out if radioactive dust is still at elevated levels within homes in the area.

"The report not only finds evidence to support the possible transfer of radioactive materials from worker to home, but that in turn transfer of these materials to the homes of non-nuclear workers could also be occurring.

"Therefore, the findings of this report must be fed into those studies examining the link between nuclear plants and some leukaemias and cancers."

The UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) said safety procedures had been stepped up since the research was carried out, adding that the levels of contamination were too low to constitute a public health risk.

Earlier this year the agency installed modern walk-through whole-body contamination monitors within the main changing area at the Dounreay's fuel cycle site and extended training for personnel on changeroom procedures.

UKAEA spokeswoman Beth Taylor said: "These levels are very small and are too low to have any effect on people's health.

"In looking at the contamination levels from those monitors and carrying out surveys in home to work buses, we are not picking up any contamination at all now."

Workers at the Dounreay nuclear plant have been contaminating their own homes by bringing in radioactive particles on their clothes, a report has revealed.

The Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) carried out a study into radioactivity in homes in Thurso, Caithness, which showed that levels of plutonium were "significantly higher" in houses occupied by Dounreay employees.

Although trace levels of plutonium and americium, another radioactive substance, are present in most houses from 1960s nuclear weapons tests, plutonium levels at Dounreay workers' houses were found to be up to 50 times higher than normal.

The report, which was compiled six years ago by ICI Tracerco for the UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) and the Industrial Pollution Inspectorate for Scotland, only came to light when it was published on SEPA's website last month.

Friends of the Earth Scotland says it would provide valuable evidence for scientists probing the possible link between nuclear plants and some forms of cancer.

Scientists examined household dust from 34 homes in Thurso, 21 of which contained nuclear plant workers, and compared the results with those from 20 homes in Banff, Aberdeenshire, where there is no nearby source of nuclear radiation.

The report concluded: "The levels of plutonium found in household dust collected in Thurso were consistent with the hypothesis that very low-level personal contamination causes contamination of household dust." It also noted that houses in the Pennyland and Mount Vernon areas of the town, where three-quarters of residents work at Dounreay, had higher levels of contamination than in other areas, although it did not find a conclusive link.

Friends of the Earth says the research, which was carried out between 1989 and 1992, raised questions about public health at nuclear facilities.

UKAEA says safety procedures had been stepped up since the research was carried out, adding that the levels of contamination were too low to constitute a public health risk.

Earlier this year the agency commissioned modern walk-through whole-body contamination monitors within the main changing area at Dounreay's fuel cycle area and extended training for personnel on changeroom procedures.

Sunday 1st October 2000

   OR plant workers contaminated their homes as well, and many wifes are sick
from it.