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Radioactivity Study on Anglesey Coast

The Anglesey coast is not at risk from radioactivity, according to an independent report entitiled "Sea to Land Transfer of Anthropogenic Radionuclides to the North Wales Coast".

Published by the Welsh Assembly Government, the report is based on research, funded by the Assembly, and conducted by Westlakes Scientific Consulting.

Welsh Assembly Health Minister Dr Brian Gibbons endorsed the findings saying "The report puts into context suggestions that have been made that emissions of radioactivity could increase the risk of cancer in the area."

Reassuringly for Anglesey and North wales residents, the report found that samples taken from the coastline fell within the margins of low radiological significance.

The Minister for the Environment, Planning and Countryside, Carwyn Jones was reassured by the report's conclusions, saying that "any concerns harboured by residents or visitors to the popular north Wales coastline will be allayed."

Building on the findings of the Westlakes Report, the Environment Agency and Food Standards Agency are continuing to monitor the situation on behalf of the Welsh Assembly Government.

The Environment Agency has monitored sediment and seaweed samples in the Menai Straits, and found that levels of radioactive substances were in fact lower than recorded by the independent consultants, Westlake.

Results for the radionuclide Technetium-99 have been reviewed and the conclusion is that the levels of this radionuclide were insignificant both radiologically and from a health protection point of view.

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