TL:  LETTER TO UK GVMT RE: RADIOACTIVE CONTAMINATION AT SEASCALE
SO: GREENPEACE UK, (GP)
DT: 2 APRIL, 1998

 Jeffrey Rooker MP 
 Minister of State, 
 Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries and Food, 
 Nobel House, 
 17 Smith Square, 
 LONDON, 
 SW1P 3JR. 
 2nd April 1998 
  
   
 RADIOACTIVE CONTAMINATION AND CLEAN-UP AT SEASCALE. 
  
 Following the discovery by BNFL and MAFF of radioactively contaminated 
 pigeons, thought to be roosting on the Sellafield site, which are fed 
 at the so-called pigeon sanctuary at Seascale, I am writing to express 
 our concern about some of the clean-up techniques planned by BNFL. 
  
 It has come to our attention that BNFL are planning a clean-up of 
 radioactive contamination from the pigeon sanctuary. BNFL's plan to 
 remove the top soil and tarmac from the sanctuary, and dispose of it 
 as low level radioactive waste, appears to be sensible provided it is 
 done in such a way that the waste is contained and isolated from the 
 environment. However, the same cannot be said for BNFL's plans to 
 decontaminate the roof of the sanctuary. It appears that BNFL intend 
 to use high pressure hoses to wash the contaminated bird droppings off 
 the roof. This will have the effect of dispersing any contamination 
 throughout the local environment, leading to its possible uptake by 
 any vegetables grown in neighbouring gardens. Any radioactivity on the 
 roof should be contained, not flushed away into the water table.  
  
 What permits are required by BNFL to carry out this activity? Have any 
 authorisations been granted by your department? Will you now ask BNFL 
 not to use this particular method of decontamination, which would 
 simply disperse radioactivity around the Seascale area, and instead to 
 investigate alternative methods?  
  
 Meanwhile it would appear that the discovery of the contaminated 
 pigeons has raised the distinct possibility that various pathways for 
 radioactivity to the environment and hence to humans have been missed. 
 Radioactive particles shed from feathers, shedding of feathers 
 themselves and the accumulation of bird droppings all provide 
 previously unknown sources of possible contamination. Witnesses in 
 Seascale have spoken, for example, about children sitting at the 
 picnic benches on the beach near the sanctuary feeding scraps to 
 pigeons. If the pigeons have been using the same flight path between 
 their roosting site at Sellafield and the Sanctuary for 20 years, 
 there could be a build-up of contamination along that flight path. Are 
 MAFF investigating possible contamination along the pigeons' flight 
 path? 
  
 The hazard from the accumulation of bird droppings is illustrated by 
 the measurement, for Greenpeace, by the ACRO laboratory of soil taken 
 from the sanctuary. Our sample contained 1,800Bq kg-1 of 
 americium-241. Inhalation of only 25Bq of americium-241 would result 
 in an effective dose of 1mSv, which is equal to the annual limit for 
 members of the public. I enclose an English version of the report 
 produced for Greenpeace by the ACRO laboratory. 
  
 Greenpeace is also extremely concerned that the high levels of 
 contamination in pigeons were discovered only accidentally. We 
 understand that BNFL will now be analysing other birds and animals 
 such as mice. Are MAFF also undertaking additional analysis? If so, 
 what is being analysed and when will the results be made available? 
  
 Finally, will MAFF be making a re-assessment of critical group doses 
 at Sellafield as a result of its investigations, and if so when will 
 this assessment be made publicly available?  
  
  
 Yours sincerely, 
  
  
  
  
 Sarah Burton, 
 Director Campaign for Safe Energy 
 Greenpeace UK. 
  
  
 cc. Ian Parker, Environment Agency, Lancaster.