WCSSG Environmental Health Working Group Beach monitoring update Richard Hill Environmental Specialist Date: 30th November 2017

Programme overview Monitoring continues using the Nuvia Synergy2 system of 8 FIDLER low energy detectors, optimised for 241Am, 5 large volume NaI detectors, for 137Cs and 60Co detection. 2017 Programme target of 150 ha.

Beach monitoring programmes 2013/14 2014/15 2015/16 2016/17 2017 2018 Northern Beaches 20 10 5 St Bees 40 Braystones 30 22 Sellafield 88 83 Seascale 12 18 Drigg 8 2 Total 150 160 Area coverage (ha) Note: Currently consulting with EA and COMARE over a potential reduced programme for 2020 onwards.

Beach monitoring progress – to 23rd October 2017 Beach location Area covered (ha) No. of particles found No. of objects found Allonby 5.1 1 St Bees 22.2 16 Braystones 13.9 11 Sellafield 64.3 112 26 Seascale 21.6 7 Drigg 1.1 2 Total 128.3 (21.7 ha & 8 weeks to go) 149 27 Total finds = 176, proportion of particles as % of total finds = 85% (2016 = 191/258 = 74%; 2016/17 = 206/254= 81%)

Beach monitoring summary (2006 - 23/10/2017) Beach location Area covered (ha) No. of particles found No. of objects found Goatwell Bay 5.8 Southerness 14.3 Allonby 88.1 16 1 Workington 24.0 6 Harrington 8.6 4 Parton 1.9 Whitehaven 8.8 9 St Bees 360.6 263 Nethertown 2.5 Braystones 349.6 447 Sellafield 650.7 1392 683 Seascale 347.6 91 Drigg 142.5 27 2 Silecroft 12.1 Seabed Not applicable ALL AREAS TOTAL 2017 2256 691 Total finds = 2947, proportion of particles as % of total finds = 77%

Beach monitoring find rate summary ARP find rates have been consistent over time since Synergy was introduced BRP find rates at Braystones, Seascale & St. Bees seem to be declining with no finds being detected so far in 2017 BRP find rates at Sellafield are relatively constant BRO are rarely found on any beach other than Sellafield (notable exception for 2017 being the stone found at Allonby) ARP = Alpha Rich Particles; BRP = Beta Rich Particles; BRO = Beta Rich Objects. NA = Not Applicable as no monitoring conducted; IA = Insufficient area for calculating find rates (< 10 ha).

Activity of finds (up to 23rd October 2017) Activity of ARP and BRO within distribution from previous 3 years. Activity of BRP has a single outlier 1.9E+05 Bq (03/10/17) and will be sent for laboratory characterisation. The highest BRP (2.9E+05 Bq) was found at Whitehaven (13/10/2010).

Beach monitoring – characterisation Characterisation and detailed analysis of beach finds 19 finds sent to the laboratories for detailed analysis, reported in July 2017. Overall more than 200 beach finds have been characterised. Assumptions regarding Cs:Sr ratios in the PHE risk assessment were found to be pessimistic. Skin doses were in-line with previous estimates made from measurements of contact dose and MCNP modelling. Going forward analysis will only be conducted on finds that exceed the EA characterisation criteria. Alpha Rich Finds Beta Rich Finds

Particle monitoring summary 2017 Beach monitoring programme is on target. Find-rates continue at levels observed since the introduction of Synergy & Synergy2 with some evidence of declining BRP find rates outside Sellafield Beach. Risks remain very low and Public Health England advice remains unchanged (noting a review of the risk assessment will be conducted during 2018). “ … that public health considerations do not require special precautionary actions to limit access to use of the beaches.” The risk assessment reported that “based on currently available information… the overall health risks for beach users are very low, and significantly lower than other risks that people accept when using the beaches.” The Annual Report for 2016/17 and the 2017 Triennial Best Available Techniques (BAT) Report have been published and submitted to the regulator. The BAT report noted that the current risk based programme and monitoring techniques represent BAT at this time. Work on the strategy and forward programme remains ongoing in consultation with COMARE and the EA Sellafield Particles Working Group.

Useful links Particles Annual Report 2016/17 https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/particles-in-the- environment-annual-report Latest Quarterly Update (Q3 2017) https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/particles-in-the- environment-update-1-201718 EA Intervention and characterisation protocols https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/sellafield- radioactive-objects-intervention-plan EA Information on the programme https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/monitoring- beaches-near-sellafield-for-radioactive-material/monitoring- beaches-near-sellafield-for-radioactive-material