"The Ministry of Defence has stressed it “remains committed” to playing an active role in finding a solution to radiation at Dalgety Bay.
As crunch talks between the MoD and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency continued well into Monday night, the MoD said that, alongside other parties, it was committed in achieving a “long-term solution” to the radioactive contamination issues on the beach and foreshore area of the west Fife town.
The two parties were locked in a meeting with key stakeholders — including senior manager (protective services) Roy Stewart, representing Fife Council — to try to thrash out plans to rid the area of the radioactive stain it has carried for 23 years.
It is hoped the talks could pave the way for a swift and decisive resolution to the problem of contamination which has emerged over the years from debris from dumped Second World War aircraft stationed at Donibristle.
Over the last three years 1,000 radioactive particles have been brought to the surface of the foreshore which has been fenced off to protect the community and visitors. One hundred particles are now washed up every month.
Local stakeholders, including the Dalgety Bay Forum, will be involved in the next stage of consultation on the outcome of Monday night’s meeting before formal plans are announced, possibly at the end of this month."
Little appears to happened with regard to Dalgety Bay since last years adjournment debate
The Courier press report on the meeting suggests that the Stakeholders and Regulators are doing their best to the MOD's feet to the fire. But there is no mention as to whether MOD has shifted its position in denying liability for the radioactive contamination at Dalgety Bay.
It appears yet again that the MOD is trying to drag the process out as long as possible and to avoid the situation at Dalgety Bay setting a precedent for the numerous other former MOD sites around the country where Radium or indeed other contaminates may be present and for which the risks to man and the environment may well be un-quantified.
This calls into question the ability of SEPA to act as an effective Regulator so far as the radioactively contaminated land regime and the MOD are concerned
So yet another year has no gone by with little if any progress on resolving the issue of the radioactive contamination on the public beach at Dalgety Bay.
It will be interesting to see if another year passes with no resolution and the MOD still denying liability
