Förhöjd radioaktivitet runt Engelska upparbetningsanläggningen Sellafield 2013-01-31)

Sellafield site operating at reduced manning levels

As a result of a conservative and prudent decision, the Sellafield site is operating normally but with reduced manning levels today.

This follows the detection of elevated levels of radioactivity at one of the on-site radiation monitors at the north end of the site.

Essential workers only are being asked to report for work.

Levels of radioactivity detected are above naturally occurring radiation but well below that which would call for any actions to be taken by the workforce on or off the site.

The site is at normal status and employees and operational plants are continuing to operate as investigations continue. All our facilities have positively confirmed there are no abnormal conditions and are operating normally.

In 2012 a report claimed some facilities at the site had "deteriorated so much that their contents pose significant risks to people and the environment".

Workers say it was an air sampler on a perimeter fence that detected a problem with radiation levels, which led to staff being told to stay away today.

It is understood nothing has been detected inside the plant.

There has been speculation that safety staff were checking to see if there was a malfunction in the air sampler.

Sellafield closure was announced in June 2012, following concerns over environmental damage and terrorist threats. It has cost British taxpayers at least £67.5 billion ($106 billion).

A local newspaper, News and Star, reported that around 8,000 workers were affected. A Decc spokeswoman was unable to confirm that figure.

Richard Wakeford, professor of epidemiology at the University of Manchester, said that asking non-essential workers to stay home was "a prudent precaution until the cause is known and the situation rectified".

He added: "There are no operating nuclear reactors at Sellafield, so short-lived radionuclides such as iodine-131 are not present there to any significant extent – therefore no stable iodine tablets should be taken as there is no need.

"If long-lived radionuclides, such as caesium-137, are responsible, then it will be important to find out what they are so that their source can be identified."

Sellafield Ltd can confirm that the radioactivity detected by one of our in-air monitors overnight is not attributable to any issue or problem with any of our operations on site.

Our in-air monitors are extremely sensitive and pick up on any abnormality. Overnight the monitoring system initially indicated elevated levels of activity. Following investigation and analysis, we can now confirm these levels to be naturally occurring background radon.