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

3. 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.

5. 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.

6. 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%)

7. 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%

8. 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).

9. 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).

10. 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

11. 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.

12. Useful links Particles Annual Report 2016/17
environment-annual-report
Latest Quarterly Update (Q3 2017)
environment-update
EA Intervention and characterisation protocols
radioactive-objects-intervention-plan
EA Information on the programme
beaches-near-sellafield-for-radioactive-material/monitoring- beaches-near-sellafield-for-radioactive-material