Dounreay Bulletin - Issue 24

19th April 2007

PUBLIC RESPONDS TO PARTICLES CONSULTATION
The second stage of consultation on the options for dealing with radioactive particles in the marine environment has come to a close. The consultation focussed on the relative importance of the criteria used to assess the 11 combined options identified by a scoring panel as most likely to succeed following the first round of consultation.

Exhibitions were held in Thurso, Reay, Castletown and Wick to provide members of the public a chance to see the progress being made in identifying the best practical environmental option (BPEO). Seventy-three people visited the exhibitions with a further 64 taking part in a series of workshops which involved members of the Dounreay Stakeholder Group, staff and contractors, high school and college students, local people living in the Caithness and North Sutherland area and those who live out with the area. Seventy written responses were also received from members of the public. See:
http://www.ukaea.org.uk/news/2007/29-03-07_01.html

LOCAL BEACH SURVEYS
During monitoring of Murkle beach yesterday a radioactive particle was detected. The particle would be classified as minor, using the criteria specified by DPAG. The Murkle beach survey is part of the programme to survey Dunnet bay beaches which commenced on 4th April. It is expected that the survey will take approximately 30 days to complete. See:
http://www.ukaea.org.uk/sites/dounreay_part_part_finds.html

UKAEA is currently reviewing the monitoring programme for the coming year. As part of this programme UKAEA has been advised by Sandside Estate that, as owners of Reay Golf Course, they require the golf course to be surveyed. This will be done using the same detection equipment as the beaches. The greens, tees and sensitive areas will be surveyed using hand-held detectors.

SAFETY, HEALTH, ENVIRONMENT AND QUALITY POLICY
UKAEA has published a new safety, health, environment and quality policy to underpin its programme to decommission Dounreay.

The policy establishes a priority to achieve the highest standards of care and protection to minimise the risks to people and environment from decommissioning the legacy of fast reactor research and development. See:
http://www.ukaea.org.uk/safety/approach_policy_message_from_director.htm

DOUNREAY SITE END STATE RECOMMENDATION
Following public consultation, Dounreay Stakeholder Group has now submitted a recommendation for the end state of the Dounreay site. The DSG recommended Option 4 - restored site with early release of land - as its preferred option conditional on other issues raised by the group.

Alastair MacDonald, chairman of DSG said: "This has been a major piece of work and is, in our opinion, an excellent example of how to go through a consultation process in a transparent manner. The DSG believes that Option 4 provides the flexibility for whatever the future holds. We are pleased to present our recommendation as a key input to the NDA and look forward working with the NDA and the site operators to take this forward."

The full recommendation and supplementary information is available at:
http://www.ukaea.org.uk/sites/dounreay_end_state.htm#recommendation

THREE OUT OF FOUR TAKE PART IN SURVEY
A survey of UKAEA staff opinion at Dounreay, carried out independently by DNV, has generated a 75 per cent response. The survey covered areas such as safety, communications, line management, NDA programmes, commercial environment and personal outlook. UKAEA is committed to publishing the results in full and working with employee groups to develop action plans.

MAY DATE FOR TECHNOLOGY SHOWCASE
The annual technology showcase for the decommissioning supply chain will be coming to Dounreay on Thursday May 17. Any contractors interested in exhibiting and which have not already registered should contact Lisa Jones-Taylor of Nu-Tech Associates Ltd on 01946 695554 or email lisa[AT]nu-techassoc.co.uk.

VISITOR CENTRE
UKAEA has been granted a warrant by Highland Council to demolish the former RAF air traffic control centre which has served as a site visitor centre. Its closure was brought forward from later this year after severe weather caused significant damage to the property.

NHS APPOINTMENT FOR DOUNREAY MANAGER
Dounreay communications manager Colin Punler has been appointed a non-executive director of NHS Highland. See: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/2007/03/28082812