MoD Outlines Dalgety Bay Clean Up

The saga of Dalgety Bay's radioactive beach could be nearing an end.

A report from the Ministry of Defence has identified a long-term solution to remove higher level radiactive sources on the beach and encapsulate the remainder in a rock armour covering.

It's thought the work will start later this year, and be finished by the end of the 2018.

The Defence Agency's paper was published three days after being completed.

Management Strategy:

1. Installlation of rock armouring in areas without protection to stop landward radium contamination onto the foreshore.

2. Replace/reinforce existing coastal armour to stop landward radium contamination onto the foreshore.

3. Removal of high activity radium materials from available foreshore areas.

4. Limited reprofiling of foreshore and placement of rock armour cover system to isolate remaining conatmination.

Scottish Environment Minister Paul Wheelhouse said:

“I note this publication from the MoD and will study it in depth, but initially I am pleased there finally seems to be tangible progress on this long running issue, and both SEPA and the local community deserve praise for their work to get to this point.

“The local residents of Dalgety Bay have been waiting decades for this mess to be cleaned up and work to adequately resolve the issue to their satisfaction must begin as soon as possible.

“While I also welcome that the MoD has been discussing the longer term management of this issue with partners such as Fife Council, there is obviously further work to be done to ensure the council is adequately and properly financially supported in the longer term, by the UK Government, in relation to any additional work linked to the radioactivity and the subsequent response at Dalgety Bay that may need to be carried out.”

Dr Paul Dale, is a radiation specialist from the environment agency Sepa: