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Radioactive discharges to reduce
Marine Pollution Bulletin
Radioactive Discharges to Reduce British Nuclear Fuels plc (BNFL) has launched a top priority study into how it can cut its discharges of radioactivity to the Irish Sea from its Sellafield Works in Cumbria on the north-west coast of England to as near zero as possible. The study covers the practical measures required to cut Sellafield's discharges, the likely cost of implementing them and the time-scale within which this can be achieved. This new policy move is a direct response to the pressure of public concern that has been expressed about the extent of BNFL's discharges of lowlevel radioactivity. BNFL has already committed an investment of £500 million on new and refurbished waste management plant at Sellafield of which some £150 million is directly associated with the reduction of radioactive discharges to the Irish Sea. As a result of this programme, actinide discharges, including plutonium, have been cut to a tenth of the peak levels of the 1970s and further reductions will soon be achieved as major new plant is commissioned later this year. The new feasibility study aims to achieve significant additional reductions over and above those already foreshadowed. The actual scheme to be implemented will emerge after discussion with Government Departments and the regulatory authorities.
Round-the-World News Falklands The future of a rich marine ecosystem around the Falkland Islands and South Georgia is in jeopardy because it is being exploited by fishing trawlers from all over the world. According to Simon Lyster, Honorary Secretary of the Falklands Foundation, the islanders are becoming increasingly frustrated because of the British Government's failure to declare a protective 200 mile fishing zone in the region. He claims that the Government's inaction over protecting the fishing grounds-which are among the best in the world--is through fear of upsetting crucial diplomatic relations. The present catch from around the islands is about one million tonnes out of a total world catch of 70 million, and it is likely that fish stocks will decline. The islanders fear that in the end not only would the long-term fishing industry in the area be ruined but the over-fishing would also have a detrimental effect on marine animals dependent on fish for food.
Red Sea Direct evidence shows that the Red Sea is still being formed. The continental crust between Africa and
354
Arabia has split and is beginning to widen. An article in New Scientist (No. 1416, 9 August 1984) states that geophysicists have found deep holes dotted along the 'spine' of the Red Sea and brine pools rich in metallic salts produced by volcanic activity associated with the developing rift. These new developments are not only of interest to geophysicists, but to industry tempted by the prospect of a new source of metals. The new deep lies at 25* 15' N, 35* 22' E, and is 10 km long, 6 km wide and 1490 m deep. It is the first brine deep to have been discovered in the Red Sea for 10 years.
Britain A Working Group on Marine Pollution Ecology has been endorsed by the UK Institute of Petroleum Marine Environment Committee. This was one of the recommendations made last year by the UK Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution in their 8th report. One of the objectives of the Working Group is to set up a network of correspondents to represent industry, government organizations and academic bodies with an interest in the impact of oil industry activities upon the coastline and seas surrounding the British Isles. Already over 90 documents have been received from correspondents, showing the results of oil-related environmental studies. For further details contact Dr K. S. Goodman, BP International Ltd, Environmental Control Centre, Britannic House, Moor Lane, London, UK.
Baltic Autopsies carried out on Baltic seals over several years have revealed a wide variety of diseases as causes of death. Out of 29 adult female bodies examined, 30% had malformations of the uterus while 25% had inflamed kidneys. According to a recent Council of Europe Newsletter, researchers found that some seals were underweight and had unusually thin fat layers, and there were also many with claw abnormalities. They believe that these deformities may be partly due to the high level of PCBs in the Baltic.
Correction In the article by H. Appelquist, S. Asbirk and I. Drabaek on "Mercury monitoring: mercury stability in bird feathers" (Mar. Pollut. Bull., 1984, 15, 22-24)"standard error" (S.E.) should have read "standard deviation" (S.D.). The four tables and a statement on p. 24, line 10 are affected. This change is due to a linguistic misunderstanding and does not affect the results or general conclusions.
Radioactive Discharges to Reduce British Nuclear Fuels plc (BNFL) has launched a top priority study into how it can cut its discharges of radioactivity to the Irish Sea from its Sellafield Works in Cumbria on the north-west coast of England to as near zero as possible. The study covers the practical measures required to cut Sellafield's discharges, the likely cost of implementing them and the time-scale within which this can be achieved. This new policy move is a direct response to the pressure of public concern that has been expressed about the extent of BNFL's discharges of lowlevel radioactivity. BNFL has already committed an investment of £500 million on new and refurbished waste management plant at Sellafield of which some £150 million is directly associated with the reduction of radioactive discharges to the Irish Sea. As a result of this programme, actinide discharges, including plutonium, have been cut to a tenth of the peak levels of the 1970s and further reductions will soon be achieved as major new plant is commissioned later this year. The new feasibility study aims to achieve significant additional reductions over and above those already foreshadowed. The actual scheme to be implemented will emerge after discussion with Government Departments and the regulatory authorities.
Round-the-World News Falklands The future of a rich marine ecosystem around the Falkland Islands and South Georgia is in jeopardy because it is being exploited by fishing trawlers from all over the world. According to Simon Lyster, Honorary Secretary of the Falklands Foundation, the islanders are becoming increasingly frustrated because of the British Government's failure to declare a protective 200 mile fishing zone in the region. He claims that the Government's inaction over protecting the fishing grounds-which are among the best in the world--is through fear of upsetting crucial diplomatic relations. The present catch from around the islands is about one million tonnes out of a total world catch of 70 million, and it is likely that fish stocks will decline. The islanders fear that in the end not only would the long-term fishing industry in the area be ruined but the over-fishing would also have a detrimental effect on marine animals dependent on fish for food.
Red Sea Direct evidence shows that the Red Sea is still being formed. The continental crust between Africa and
354
Arabia has split and is beginning to widen. An article in New Scientist (No. 1416, 9 August 1984) states that geophysicists have found deep holes dotted along the 'spine' of the Red Sea and brine pools rich in metallic salts produced by volcanic activity associated with the developing rift. These new developments are not only of interest to geophysicists, but to industry tempted by the prospect of a new source of metals. The new deep lies at 25* 15' N, 35* 22' E, and is 10 km long, 6 km wide and 1490 m deep. It is the first brine deep to have been discovered in the Red Sea for 10 years.
Britain A Working Group on Marine Pollution Ecology has been endorsed by the UK Institute of Petroleum Marine Environment Committee. This was one of the recommendations made last year by the UK Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution in their 8th report. One of the objectives of the Working Group is to set up a network of correspondents to represent industry, government organizations and academic bodies with an interest in the impact of oil industry activities upon the coastline and seas surrounding the British Isles. Already over 90 documents have been received from correspondents, showing the results of oil-related environmental studies. For further details contact Dr K. S. Goodman, BP International Ltd, Environmental Control Centre, Britannic House, Moor Lane, London, UK.
Baltic Autopsies carried out on Baltic seals over several years have revealed a wide variety of diseases as causes of death. Out of 29 adult female bodies examined, 30% had malformations of the uterus while 25% had inflamed kidneys. According to a recent Council of Europe Newsletter, researchers found that some seals were underweight and had unusually thin fat layers, and there were also many with claw abnormalities. They believe that these deformities may be partly due to the high level of PCBs in the Baltic.
Correction In the article by H. Appelquist, S. Asbirk and I. Drabaek on "Mercury monitoring: mercury stability in bird feathers" (Mar. Pollut. Bull., 1984, 15, 22-24)"standard error" (S.E.) should have read "standard deviation" (S.D.). The four tables and a statement on p. 24, line 10 are affected. This change is due to a linguistic misunderstanding and does not affect the results or general conclusions.