New safety equipment installed after Nuclear-sub spill
NEW safety equipment is being introduced at Devonport Naval Base, two years after a nuclear spill in which hundreds of litres of radioactive liquid escaped into the River Tamar, writes Andy Greenwood.
In November 2008, 280 litres of water, contaminated with radioactive Cobalt-60 and Tritium, poured from a burst hose as it was being pumped from the nuclear-powered submarine HMS Trafalgar. It was the worst nuclear spill at the Royal Navy dockyard since 1985.
Both the Royal Navy and Environment Agency insisted that there had been "no risk to the public" and the incident was treated seriously and fully investigated.
The Navy has now confirmed that a new generation of "more robust hoses" are being installed, to prevent a repeat of the 2008 accident.
Captain Mark Adams, captain base safety at Devonport Naval Base, said the new hoses would be "in service very shortly".
Updating a meeting of the Devonport Local Liaison Committee earlier this month, Captain Adams said: "The first installation is ongoing as we speak. We expect them to be in service in the New Year.
"They are being introduced into service, subject to many checks and controls. Once we have demonstrated those controls and are happy with all aspects, then they will be rolled out to the remaining wharves."
Captain Adams added that the hoses, which link submarines to the jetty, had two walls and included leak detection.
The incident sparked major concerns at the time among anti-nuclear campaigners. MPs also called for great transparency after the Navy failed to inform the public.
HMS Trafalgar was alongside at Devonport after undergoing routine maintenance. No-one was hurt and the boat's nuclear power plant was unaffected.
Tests carried out by the Environment Agency 14 hours after the spill showed that the coolant contained only 0.001 per cent of the dockyard's annual authorised level of Cobalt-60 and 0.1 per cent of Tritium, although it described the incident as "a serious unauthorised release".
The spill was the largest at the yard for more than 20 years.
In October 2005, it was confirmed that 10 litres of water had leaked out as the main reactor circuit of HMS Victorious was being cleaned to reduce radiation four months earlier.
Earlier the same year, the Environment Agency threatened legal action against former dockyard owners Devonport Management Limited after two spillages in a week. Around 20 litres of water containing Cobalt-60 was spilt during refit work on HMS Victorious in June 2005. A few days earlier, contaminated water, estimated to be a litre, escaped from a leaking pipe.
There were 10 nuclear leaks at the Westcountry base between 1980 and 1998 during which 570 litres of radioactive liquid was lost. The worst incident was in 1985 when around 350 litres was spilled.
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by mark, torbay
Wednesday, December 29 2010, 7:40PM
“the fact they allowed somethign to happen like this prooves they are not very capable. that is such a a lie to say there was no enviromental risk. Why do the military always lie.”
by Dave, Plymouth
Wednesday, December 29 2010, 12:17PM
“A bit strange to see "contaminated" and "no risk to the public" in the same story,one of them is wrong.
And Sid e.t.c.,tritium is banned completely in the United States so they obviously don't see it as the touchy feely stuff you do.
At least we can all sleep soundly now knowing that "robust hoses" will be used,they're a bit like the robust finger the little Dutch Boy used to stop the dike leaking.(go on Mick,Barbican,you know you want to)”
by Mick, Barbican
Wednesday, December 29 2010, 3:39AM
“Concerned quote-"Judge Gilbert why he is not putting them away Oh yes that is down to this Government"
Labour and Tory govts have proved themselves useless fools over many years, but my conscience is clear, i've never voted for either of them..:)
Who's the more foolish, the fools or the fools who vote for them?”
by injustice, plymouth
Tuesday, December 28 2010, 11:53PM
“you are so very right concerned plymouth unforgivable how people are not awake!!!!”
by Concerned, Plymouth ( Nuclear & Toxic Dumping Ground )
Tuesday, December 28 2010, 8:32PM
“Why should I move so they can turn the place I live into a nuclear dumping ground, and recent medical results show an increase in Cancers in the population of Plymouth, and as for the Cancer I have lost three members of my family to Cancer, and got to know family's who children have developed cancer and not just one child but Two in the same family, please do tell them that the Crap they are pumping into the air we are breathing and into our river is not of any danger to us like the so called Quack from the CDC in Exeter, I would like to dunk her into it and see how worried she gets after, as for the Idiots you have running around the city attacking people, perhaps you should as Judge Gilbert why he is not putting them away Oh yes that is down to this Government, recommending none custodial sentences to the courts, ask David Cameron and Theresa May why they have recommended this to the courts.”
by JR, Barbican
Tuesday, December 28 2010, 4:50PM
“Concerned, give us a break, we have had all this claptrap before, I'm more concerned about getting stabbed or mugged in the street by the loons that don't get put away when they do wrong because they all seem to have some sort of fake illness. Do people really think dockyard workers would put themselves in any danger on any matter of safety, no!!!! and if you like France so much, go live there.”
by Sid, Plymouth
Tuesday, December 28 2010, 4:46PM
“Concerned, Plymouth: If you're that "concerned" move! Tritium is used all over the place from luminous signs, to the luminous hands on watches, and in some paints. It can also be found naturally in the environment and in the food chain. Cobalt-60 is used for radiotherapy in hospitals, to treat inoperable deformities of blood vessels and brain tumours, in industry it's used in a similar way to an x-ray, to detect flaws in metal parts etc, and to sterilize spices and certain foods. Are you suggesting we place a ban on these uses? It's far more likely that a medical or industrial radiation source of Cobalt-60 would/could get lost or stolen, rather than an accident in the dockyard.”
by Concerned, Plymouth ( Nuclear & Toxic Dumping Ground )
Tuesday, December 28 2010, 2:09PM
“The MOD and the British Government had no thought for the Health and Safety of the people when they sold land to housing developer to build houses and play area and community centre in Ivybridge knowing that nuclear waste had been buried on it, the Government has a licence to do as they please, because they can not be legally held accountable for their action, mores the pity, they British Government does not care weather adult or children contract leukemia thoracic cancer like what a lot of the children in Nevada contracted after the Bomb test, that was caused for years after the second world war, and the attitude of the US Government was similar to what this Governments is now They do not Give a toss about us, because they have not got in their back yard, they don't have to live with it, and as for the possible nuclear explosion, it does not have to be a nuclear explosion, all it needs is an accident whilst cutting the reactor out from the Sub and strong winds would carry nuclear particles for miles, it would be the equivalent to a dirty bomb”
by Mick, Barbican
Tuesday, December 28 2010, 1:52PM
“Quote- "the Royal Navy and Environment Agency insisted that there had been "no risk to the public"
What about the fish?
I hope the fish fingers i'm having for tea aren't radioactive, where can I buy a cheap Geiger counter?”
by ricky, at work
Tuesday, December 28 2010, 1:15PM
“brushy i don't think for one minute there is any consideration for members of the public, the point i was putting across was that we're not going to get a say in what happens. but people hear the world nuclear and there's panic amidst the locals.”