Radiation monitoring
In addition to air quality monitoring, radiation monitors have recently been installed at appropriate locations within the Council area. Following the Fukushima disaster in 2011, the Office for Nuclear Regulation was tasked with re-evaluating the safety of the UK’s nuclear industry and one of the recommendations was the enhancement to the existing monitoring regime. These monitors are now part of the enhancement to this network and have been fully funded by DEFRA . They are amongst the first units to be installed in Scotland. The data is in real time and reports 24/7.
There are five permanent R3M monitors currently deployed throughout East Lothian. These are sited at Dunbar (Countess Road), Haddington (Mill Wynd), North Berwick (Tantallon Road), Longniddry (Lyars Road) and Musselburgh (Linkfield Road). These send automated downloads on a weekly basis.
The Service also carries out monitoring and sampling around the Torness site at the Outfall, Skateraw Beach and Railhead on a quarterly basis. This involves taking seaweed and sand samples for radionuclide analysis as well as monitoring for airborne gamma radiation.