By Claire Smith
A SECTION of Scottish coastline has been cordoned off after scientists found a radioactive object ten times more contaminated than any found there before.
Particles were first found on the shoreline of Dalgety Bay more than 20 years ago and the contamination has been linked to childhood cancer.
The radiation is believed to originate from radium coatings from dials on military aircraft based at Donibristle airbase which were incinerated after the Second World War.
The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa) has said around 100 new radioactive fragments wash up at Dalgety Bay each year.
Sepa expert Dr Paul Dale said the level of contamination found recently in one fairly large piece of debris found in Dalgety Bay measured ten megabecquerels.
Previously the highest level of radiation measured in the area was 1.1 megabecquerels. “What has changed is that this particle is ten times more active than anything we have found before.”
He said the radiation in the object uncovered was of a high enough level to cause burns to the skin. Radioactive particles can also cause health problems if injested – particularly by a child.
Sepa scientists now believe the radioactive material is coming from landfill containing aircraft debris that is now eroding into the sea.
The agency’s chief executive, Dr Campbell Gemmell, said: “Over the weekend, Sepa scientists continued to investigate an area of the foreshore of Dalgety Bay. Further sources were found.
“An initial reading of activity in one of these sources has given sufficient concern for Sepa to have asked Fife Council to restrict access to the area.
“On Wednesday, Fife Council cordoned off an area of the foreshore close to the public footpath and temporarily erected further warning signs. In the short term, Sepa will continue the current investigation and ensure the removal of any further sources detected.”
Scottish environment secretary Richard Lochhead has now written to the Ministry of Defence calling for action.
He said: “We will continue to press the MoD to resolve the matter and, following the most recent survey work at Dalgety bay, I will be writing to the Secretary of State for Defence today to call for immediate action, and that the MoD meets its responsibilities.
“We absolutely must get to the root cause of this repeated contamination of Dalgety Bay, and I want to reassure the local community that we will do everything in our power to prevent, once and for all, any radioactive sources being a significant hazard to the public.”
Helen Eadie, Labour MSP for Cowdenbeath, said: “I have been pursuing this issue for a number of years and it is vital now that we get an accurate assessment of this new information. I am seeking an urgent meeting with Sepa to progress matters, as the most important consideration must be the welfare and well-being of local people.”
Fife councillor Alice McGarry, whose ward includes Dalgety Bay, said: “Something needs to be done and we need to get to the bottom of this once and for all.”
Stan Blackley, chief executive of Friends of the Earth Scotland, said: “We’ve known about the radioactive items on Dalgety Bay since at least 1990, yet we’re still getting nasty surprises on a regular basis.
“It’s highly worrying that nuclear materials are still being uncovered, that there has been little effort to actually deal with this problem over the past twenty years.
“We still have no idea of the scale and number of radioactive items present, and the potential threat they pose to public health.”
A spokesman for the Ministry of Defence said: “The MoD has been working with Sepa and the Dalgety Bay Forum to resolve the issues at Dalgety Bay.”
http://www.scotsman.com/news/environment/radioactive_lockdown_on_the_shores_of_fife_1_1909857
Showing posts with label coastline. Show all posts
Showing posts with label coastline. Show all posts
Saturday, 15 October 2011
Sunday, 17 October 2010
The changing face of the coastline
ARCHITECT Paul Jones has designed the wildlife facility of the future. Paul’s concept for a wildlife visitor centre and observatory takes account of sea level rises and coastal erosion.
Paul, who is director of architecture programmes at Northumbria University’s School of the Built Environment, entered his design in an international competition, which attracted 80 submissions from around the world.
Now Paul’s creation has been commissioned by Lincolnshire County Council and Arts Council England.
Featuring observatory, art gallery and cafe facilities, it will be built at Huttoft sands in Lincolnshire.
Central to Paul’s design is that the building should be future-proofed.
So he had to take into account predicted climate change coastal erosion rates and sea level rises, particularly as the flat lands of Lincolnshire have suffered from tide surge flooding in the past.
Paul’s answer was a lightweight steel and timber building that could be factory-built in pieces and then assembled on site.
“Because it is being built indoors and not outside where we would be fighting the elements, the quality of the finish will be superb,” he says.
If sea rise or erosion threats present themselves, the structure can be easily dismantled and moved.
The 40-metre long building only touches the ground on pillars in half a dozen places.
“It sits lightly on the landscape,” says Paul.
Extensive glazing also makes the most of views across the sands and the sea, and towards the countryside at the rear.
“It is important that the centre connects with its landscape and gives fine views because there are amazing bird migrations along the coast. It is a birdwatchers’ paradise,” says Paul.
The building, which will cost £500,000 to construct, will also function independently of services like power and water.
Its power will come from a wind turbine and ground source heat pump, rainwater will be captured and waste composted.
Paul is working with Newcastle Surface Light Space Architects and Blyth fabrication company Draughtec, with a completion date for the building in a year’s time.
He believes that the building could be a blueprint for similar visitor centres elsewhere. “It would be ideal for a place like Druridge Bay in Northumberland,” he says.
The Druridge Bay Partnership is keen to involve local communities and individuals in developing its Coal and Coast Project over the next year.
Its aim is to ensure that by 2025, Druridge Bay will be recognised nationally for the outstanding quality of its landscape and environment and that the positive management of the area will lead to increased visitor numbers and stronger communities.
Natural England’s regional director for the North East, Rob Aubrook, joined other partners in welcoming the new initiative at an official launch at Druridge Bay Country Park.
He said: “The Druridge Bay coastline is treasured for its beautiful beaches and sand dunes and is already a special place where people, wildlife and heritage successfully rub shoulders.
“I hope that everyone who cherishes this part of Northumberland will get involved with this initiative over the next year whether by commenting on project proposals, supporting an event or taking part in volunteer activities.
“By working at a landscape-scale and connecting existing habitats and creating new ones, the project is very much in tune with both the thinking in the Government’s Natural Environment White Paper and the findings of Making Space for Nature, the recent review of England’s wildlife sites.
“It’s great news that Northumberland is leading the way with this kind of initiative.”
Earlier this year Northumberland Wildlife Trust was awarded £81,200 from the Heritage Lottery Fund towards funding the development of the project .
The HLF has earmarked a further £1,817,900 for the Druridge Bay Partnership to fund the employment of a team to deliver the scheme over five years .
The Partnership is made up of Northumberland County Council, seven town and parish councils, the National Trust, Northumberland Wildlife Trust plus local businesses and farmers in the Druridge Bay area.
Steve Scoffin, the Partnership’s Druridge Bay development manager, said: “Involving people and communities in shaping these projects is critical to their success.
“No matter the depth of knowledge and expertise that exists within the Partnership, what’s really important is that we develop and deliver projects that make a real change on the ground – that has to involve people who live and work in the area, and those who come to enjoy it.”
As part of the project, a Druridge Bay photographic competition has been launched with the help of Amble Photographic Group.
It will run until July next year, with categories of People, Place, Heritage and Wildlife.
ENVIRONMENT Editor
TONY HENDERSON
http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-news/environment-news/2010/10/16/the-changing-face-of-the-coastline-61634-27482092/2/#ixzz12d3qSWZt
Paul, who is director of architecture programmes at Northumbria University’s School of the Built Environment, entered his design in an international competition, which attracted 80 submissions from around the world.
Now Paul’s creation has been commissioned by Lincolnshire County Council and Arts Council England.
Featuring observatory, art gallery and cafe facilities, it will be built at Huttoft sands in Lincolnshire.
Central to Paul’s design is that the building should be future-proofed.
So he had to take into account predicted climate change coastal erosion rates and sea level rises, particularly as the flat lands of Lincolnshire have suffered from tide surge flooding in the past.
Paul’s answer was a lightweight steel and timber building that could be factory-built in pieces and then assembled on site.
“Because it is being built indoors and not outside where we would be fighting the elements, the quality of the finish will be superb,” he says.
If sea rise or erosion threats present themselves, the structure can be easily dismantled and moved.
The 40-metre long building only touches the ground on pillars in half a dozen places.
“It sits lightly on the landscape,” says Paul.
Extensive glazing also makes the most of views across the sands and the sea, and towards the countryside at the rear.
“It is important that the centre connects with its landscape and gives fine views because there are amazing bird migrations along the coast. It is a birdwatchers’ paradise,” says Paul.
The building, which will cost £500,000 to construct, will also function independently of services like power and water.
Its power will come from a wind turbine and ground source heat pump, rainwater will be captured and waste composted.
Paul is working with Newcastle Surface Light Space Architects and Blyth fabrication company Draughtec, with a completion date for the building in a year’s time.
He believes that the building could be a blueprint for similar visitor centres elsewhere. “It would be ideal for a place like Druridge Bay in Northumberland,” he says.
The Druridge Bay Partnership is keen to involve local communities and individuals in developing its Coal and Coast Project over the next year.
Its aim is to ensure that by 2025, Druridge Bay will be recognised nationally for the outstanding quality of its landscape and environment and that the positive management of the area will lead to increased visitor numbers and stronger communities.
Natural England’s regional director for the North East, Rob Aubrook, joined other partners in welcoming the new initiative at an official launch at Druridge Bay Country Park.
He said: “The Druridge Bay coastline is treasured for its beautiful beaches and sand dunes and is already a special place where people, wildlife and heritage successfully rub shoulders.
“I hope that everyone who cherishes this part of Northumberland will get involved with this initiative over the next year whether by commenting on project proposals, supporting an event or taking part in volunteer activities.
“By working at a landscape-scale and connecting existing habitats and creating new ones, the project is very much in tune with both the thinking in the Government’s Natural Environment White Paper and the findings of Making Space for Nature, the recent review of England’s wildlife sites.
“It’s great news that Northumberland is leading the way with this kind of initiative.”
Earlier this year Northumberland Wildlife Trust was awarded £81,200 from the Heritage Lottery Fund towards funding the development of the project .
The HLF has earmarked a further £1,817,900 for the Druridge Bay Partnership to fund the employment of a team to deliver the scheme over five years .
The Partnership is made up of Northumberland County Council, seven town and parish councils, the National Trust, Northumberland Wildlife Trust plus local businesses and farmers in the Druridge Bay area.
Steve Scoffin, the Partnership’s Druridge Bay development manager, said: “Involving people and communities in shaping these projects is critical to their success.
“No matter the depth of knowledge and expertise that exists within the Partnership, what’s really important is that we develop and deliver projects that make a real change on the ground – that has to involve people who live and work in the area, and those who come to enjoy it.”
As part of the project, a Druridge Bay photographic competition has been launched with the help of Amble Photographic Group.
It will run until July next year, with categories of People, Place, Heritage and Wildlife.
ENVIRONMENT Editor
TONY HENDERSON
http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-news/environment-news/2010/10/16/the-changing-face-of-the-coastline-61634-27482092/2/#ixzz12d3qSWZt
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