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In Cardiff, Wales, we have substantially reduced radioactive emissions
and discharges to the environment since 1995 as shown in the graphs
below and are investing heavily in technology to reduce releases
still further.
Over 500 employees work at the Maynard Centre in Cardiff which
develops and manufactures essential products and technologies for
medical and pharmaceutical research. The main radioactive materials
we use are the low energy, beta emitting isotopes carbon-14 and
tritium, a form of hydrogen. Radioactive waste is subject to strict
regulatory controls and is either discharged, transferred off-site
for disposal or stored on-site.
We take our responsibility to our neighbours and the environment
very seriously. A few years ago a community group and environmental
campaigner claimed that radioactivity from the site may be harming
the health of people living nearby. We were particularly concerned
by claims about perinatal mortality and commissioned extensive studies
to investigate the issue further.
Research
The UK’s National Radiological Protection Board and an independent
epidemiologist and statistician have found no substance to the claims.
In March 2000 the First Minister of the National Assembly for Wales
said there was “no evidence to substantiate these claims… which
may have caused concern for nearby residents.”
In October 2001 the Small Area Health Statistics Unit at Imperial
College, London completed a report about the incidence of a number
of diseases in the Cardiff area. It found no statistically significant
excess incidence in a 2km radius around the site (where aerial deposition
is highest) and a statistically significant incidence of three diseases
in an area 2km to 7.5km radius from the site. The report made no
claim that this was caused by radioactivity and the local health
authority which commissioned the study concluded that there was
no credible evidence that the operations at the site have caused
harm to the health of anybody in Cardiff.
Recent data from the Food Standards Agency show that the maximum
exposure received by a local person from activities at the site
accounts for less than 2.5% of the total radiation that they receive
from all other natural and manmade sources. The typical person in
the area received less than 3µSv – slightly more than one thousandth
of the total background radiation. (See Graph 17 on page 19).
We are funding a comprehensive research programme to assess the
behaviour of tritium in the marine environment, following recognition
in 1998 that levels of tritium in flounder (a sea bed dwelling flat
fish) were above those predicted by mathematical modeling. Preliminary
results suggest that an organically bound element of tritium has
accumulated in the fish, although the levels are still below those
that would trigger health concerns to any people who may catch and
eat the flounder.
New recycling plant
Although our work at Cardiff is not causing harm to human health,
we remain committed to continuous improvement and application of
the best practicable means to reduce discharges. We are developing
an innovative waste recovery and recycling process for liquid and
gaseous forms of both tritium and carbon-14. We have invested £3million
to develop the technologies and full implementation of the project
by the end of 2004 will cost some £18million. This is designed to
reduce discharges to the environment even further, helping the UK
Government to meet its international obligations to limit radioactive
discharges to the marine environment.
Gaseous and Liquid Emissions
from Maynard Centre 1995 - 2001
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