DATELINE: 28th April 2001

TAMAR RADIOACTIVITY FEAR
Concern has been voiced over a plan by a Plymouth naval dockyard servicing company to increase emissions of radioactive waste into the surrounding River Tamar and atmosphere.
Tritium is a radioactive, "heavy" water used as a coolant for nuclear submarine reactors. It is understood that DML, a firm which will refit the RN's Trident fleet, wishes to increase the amounts of tritium released into the Tamar by 700 per cent, and that released into the atmosphere as steam by 500 per cent.
Tritium rides on water molecules, so can pass readily into the human body, attaching to human cells and possibly causing mutations and cancer. Scientists are concerned that emissions could affect the health of dockyard workers and local residents, along with water-users.
They fear that the river-discharged tritium, with a half-life of 12 years, could build up and enter the human food chain. Divers taking and eating sea life in the area could be at risk. Of the airborne tritium, the concern is for tritium fog, where radioactive water condenses into a mist mingling with normal fog. One radiation biologist told the Guardian newspaper, which carried news of the perceived risk: "I would advise all pregnant women not to be near the docks when the emissions are taking place."
The brother of a dockyard worker, who died of cancer at 47 and had a daughter who contracted thyroid cancer at just 8, has campaigned for a public hearing on possible risks associated with the submarine servicing work. The hearing is expected to be held this year.

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