N E W S F E E D S >>>

Caithness News Bulletins August 2003

August News Index July News Index

Caithness.org News Index

Front Page Archives

Dounreay News SEPA Environmental Links  

SEPA Management of Dounreay Regulation 1 August 03
The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) has announced a number of changes to its internal procedures for regulating Dounreay. The action follows the recommendations of an inquiry, commissioned by SEPA, which highlighted weaknesses in communications and management systems.

SEPA’s main board commissioned Sir Laurence Hunter of Glasgow University to carry out the independent inquiry. Sir Laurence was asked to consider the integrity of the management and communication systems used by SEPA in relation to Dounreay. He was given complete access to SEPA staff and documentation. The inquiry report concludes that:

·          team meetings were irregular and ineffective

·          quality procedures were absent or inadequate

·          senior managers failed to address serious issues

·          communication between senior managers and the board were ineffective.

Dr Campbell Gemmell, SEPA’s Chief Executive, said: “I want to reassure people that there is no evidence that the environment has been put at risk.  However, it is not acceptable for an organisation like ours to neglect the proper processes. Since I became chief executive I have devoted considerable time to addressing this issue and I will continue working to secure the improvements we need. I have prepared an action plan that will ensure we have robust procedures in place for carrying out our duties.

Dr Gemmell continued: “We are currently going through the process of meeting the challenges set out in the Scottish Executive’s review of our performance. Many of the recommendations in that review are related to the issues identified in this inquiry, particularly those on communication and delegation. We are already taking positive action to improve our ways of working.”

SEPA Chairman Sir Ken Collins, said: “Whilst I am confident that neither the public, nor the environment, have been put at risk, we are very aware of our responsibilities to the Scottish community and the Scottish environment. The high standards we expect of others must apply equally to our own procedures and practices. That is why the board arranged for this investigation, and we will now ensure that the appropriate steps are taken.”

Sir Laurence’s report also highlights the integrity and enthusiasm of staff, and a strong core of cultural values and behaviour on which to build.

The main recommendations of the report are to

·    ensure there is effective delegation, and that a programme is put in place to develop best management practice

·    improve the communication culture of SEPA at all levels

·    develop essential quality and work procedures.

Dr Gemmell’s Action Plan -

Changes To Discharge Authorisation
SEPA has made significant changes to the authorisation covering UKAEA Dounreay’s discharges of gaseous radioactive waste. The changes mean a cut of 41 per cent in the quantity of tritium that the site is allowed to release to the environment and came into effect on 18 July 2003. The change also permits the operation of UKAEA’s new facility for collecting and disposing of liquid waste to sea. This facility, known as the Low Level Liquid Effluent Treatment Plant, will replace the old sea discharge tanks that were the subject of a SEPA enforcement notice in January 2002.

UKAEA is required by SEPA to improve the discharge system for gaseous waste from the main facilities in the fuel cycle area. It will also have to produce a strategy that will set out

·          principles for radioactive waste management

·          how it will manage gaseous waste discharges, and

·          how it will comply with the government’s international environmental commitments.

SEPA is also finalising a similar downward change in the limits controlling liquid waste from Dounreay, where there is greater scope for reduction. This has been brought about by UKAEA’s move away from reprocessing, to a mission of restoring the environment.  These are considered to be interim measures while UKAEA finalises its application for a new authorisation and until a new authorisation is issued. This application will be supported by UKAEA’s plan for the environmental restoration of the Dounreay site. SEPA will consult the public about the application and expects that the new authorisation may be in place by 2005.

Wildlife enforcement notice
We are satisfied that UKAEA has complied with the first part of enforcement notice. It has checked the affected areas and carried out immediate repairs to fences. Staff are also carrying out regular inspections on the integrity of the fence. After UKAEA reported these actions to SEPA, two officers carried out an inspection. We will continue to monitor the situation closely.

SEPA served the enforcement notice on UKAEA in June, requiring measures to limit and prevent access to the site by wildlife. The site’s authorisation requires UKAEA to use ‘best practicable means’ for preventing the movement of any radionuclides contained in the pits. By failing to secure the pits UKAEA has allowed rabbits access to radioactive waste. Rabbits have the potential to spread radioactivity and radioactive waste around the site and beyond.

The enforcement notice requires UKAEA to do several precautionary actions:

·          take immediate measures to limit wildlife access to the pits

·          take long term measures to prevent wildlife from accessing to the pits

·          quantify and repair damage caused by wildlife.

The enforcement notice also requires UKAEA to carry out surveillance to demonstrate that the measures have been effective. SEPA will also require UKAEA to provide further evidence that it has complied with the notice.

Inquiry Into Dounreay Regulation
SEPA is making a number of changes to its internal procedures for regulating Dounreay. The action follows the recommendations of an inquiry, commissioned by SEPA, which highlighted weaknesses in communications and management systems. SEPA’s main board commissioned Sir Laurence Hunter of Glasgow University to carry out the independent inquiry. Sir Laurence was asked to consider the integrity of the management and communication systems used by SEPA in relation to Dounreay. He was given complete access to SEPA staff and documentation.

Particles Research
SEPA has already published the outcomes of two of the research modules, which form part of the contract with NRPB. These are the analytical study of particles in a simulated human gut and a review of monitoring procedures at Sandside. There are several modules and work is ongoing. It will be at least next autumn before all the modules are complete. SEPA will publish the results of each module on the website as they are completed. We will not be able to draw any conclusions from the research programme until all the modules are completed.

Sandside Beach Profiling
An additional Sandside monitoring activity that SEPA is planning is the profiling of the beach at Sandside. The profile of the beach, and the changes in that profile, are relevant to understanding the pattern of particle discoveries at Sandside. It is important for SEPA to understand how the beach changes with weather conditions and the tides. Unfortunately, Sandside Estate has not given unqualified permission for SEPA to access the beach for profiling.

Habit survey
Researchers working on behalf of SEPA have been carrying out a ‘habit survey’ in the Dounreay area. Habit surveys are essential in understanding the likely exposure of the general public from radioactivity in food and the environment (RIFE) from authorised disposals. They are carried out near all major nuclear sites and are used to identify groups of individuals who are most likely to be at risk from environmental radioactivity (from man-made sources).

The results of the research are used to decide which materials to sample for radioactivity and where to take them from. The analysis and interpretation eventually appear in the annual RIFE reports, published by SEPA and the Food Standards Agency.

Habit surveys involve, among other things, identifying

·          local recreational and commercial activities

·          the use of food and food stuffs

·          population/occupancy information.

The main methods used are interviews (of local people and SEPA staff) and observation (eg at beaches). Representatives of Sandside Estate took part in the habit survey. The field work was carried out 11 – 23 July. It was last carried out in 1999.