MORE potentially dangerous particles have been found on a beach where highly radioactive material was discovered earlier this week.
Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa) experts found 17 particles yesterday. The new discovery raised concerns among the community and the Scottish Government, who pressed the Ministry of Defence (MoD), believed to be responsible for the particles, for action.
A number of them were believed to be inside a block of material about the size of a tennis ball, and were said to be 10 times more radioactive than others found locally.
Scottish Environment Secretary Richard Lochhead called for immediate action in a letter to the MoD.
He said: “We absolutely must get to the root cause of this repeated contamination of Dalgety Bay. In the meantime I am confident Sepa is taking all necessary action to ensure these sources of radiation are identified and removed quickly so they no longer pose any threat.”
Radioactive material was first detected on a part of the foreshore at Dalgety Bay in 1990.
The contamination is thought to originate from the residue of radium-coated instrument panels from military aircraft incinerated and land filled after the Second World War.
Monitoring has been undertaken by both Sepa and the MoD and radioactive material has been removed periodically.
Sepa said the finds proved it is now urgent that “an appropriate long-term remediation plan is developed” and that the MoD would be responsible for that.
The MoD said the risk to the public was being assessed.
Paul Dale was one of those carrying out yesterday’s tests. He said: “We did clear the rest of the area and we are going to have to take stock of what has been found. It is too early to call.”
Colin McPhail, chairman of Dalgety Bay and Hillend community council, said the community was disappointed by the latest finds.
He added: “The area has been surveyed quite a few times in recent years and this shows that there is a need for the MoD to do more remedial work to get this situation resolved once and for all.
“That is what I will raise at the next meeting of the Dalgety Bay Forum.”
The forum is made up of bodies including Sepa, Fife Council, the MoD and the Scottish Government and has assessing tests at regular intervals. It is due to meet next week.
An MoD spokesman said it would continue to work with Sepa to establish the potential risk. “The MoD has been working with Sepa and the Dalgety Bay Forum to resolve the issues at Dalgety Bay,” he said.
“We have supported Sepa’s 2011 headland investigation and continue to support Sepa in disposing of any recovered items. The work undertaken to date represents MoD’s serious commitment to assisting the Dalgety Bay Forum in finding a longer-term strategy for dealing with the radioactive contamination on the foreshore.
“The MoD will continue to work with Sepa, the Scottish Government and the forum to identify the likelihood of residual risks posed and requirement for any remedial action once the details of the most recent Sepa findings are published.
“Should significant risks present themselves in the interim, Sepa has the necessary statutory powers to address these.”
On Wednesday, Fife Council cordoned off an area of the foreshore close to the public footpath and temporarily erected further warning signs.
A spokesman said it would continue to follow Sepa’s instruction.
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