" Suburb 'poisoned' by plutonium " [FW]

["Franta, Jaroslav" <frantaj@AECL.CA>]

July 8 2001 BRITAIN 

Suburb 'poisoned' by plutonium 

Nick Fielding 

 

SOME of the highest levels of plutonium and uranium contamination recorded

in Britain have been found in a home in a suburb in southeast England. 

Soil and dust collected from the Reading suburb of Earley gave readings of

at least 100 times the normal background level of radiation. 

Results of the tests, carried out by an independent consultant and

scientists at one of Britain's top analytical laboratories, are being

studied by environmental watchdogs. Although they said the levels did not

pose an immediate health risk, they were "very concerned" and said the

results needed further investigation. 

An inquiry is also being mounted into the source. The suburb is within 20

miles of both the Aldermaston atomic weapons establishment and a Ministry of

Defence site at Burghfield, where nuclear weapons are assembled. 

The tests were prompted by the illness of a resident, whose doctor says he

is exhibiting classic signs of radiation poisoning. Three samples were taken

- one from his house and two from his garden - by Dr Kartar Badsha, an

independent environmental consultant and toxicologist who has worked in the

British nuclear industry and investigated chemical contamination in Vietnam.



They were analysed at LGC in Teddington, formerly the Laboratory of the

Government Chemist. The house sample gave the highest reading: 54.9

bequerels per kilogram (bq/kg) for plutonium isotopes 239 and 240. This is

several hundred times more than background levels. The sample also gave a

high reading for plutonium 238 and for three uranium isotopes. 

Plutonium is a radioactive element which does not exist in the natural world

but is created by burning uranium fuel in a nuclear reactor. It is extremely

toxic and lasts in the environment for thousands of years. 

"The readings for plutonium are enormous," said Dr Chris Busby, of the Low

Level Radiation Campaign. "You would not expect to find such figures

anywhere outside an atomic plant." 

The illness has wrecked the life of Ray Fox, 51, who owns the house. A

former building company director, he has been forced to give up work. He

believes the plutonium that he now blames for his illness may have come from

a small nuclear facility which he believes was on a former industrial site

beside his home. 

The samples taken in the garden also gave high readings for plutonium 239

and 240 and the three uranium isotopes found in the house. One theory is

that the contamination could have come from either Aldermaston, which has

long been the subject of anti-nuclear protests, or from the defence

establishment at Burghfield. But the proportions of the isotopes suggest

they came from a nuclear reactor, not from fallout. 

Radiation victim? Ray Fox has lost his work and his health

Photograph: David Hartley

The extent of the pollution in Earley is highlighted by comparison with the

results from an annual survey conducted by Southampton University across the

south of England. 

This usually finds levels of between 0.03 and 0.33 bq/kg, rising to around 7

bq/kg at Aldermaston. Some higher figures have also been found in coastal

sediments near nuclear power stations. Monitoring in the late 1950s and

early 1960s found that, of 254 sites near nuclear installations, only nine

had readings above 3 bq/kg. 

Fox is now paying for treatment from a doctor in Germany who specialises in

the removal of toxins. Dr Josef Kees, of Bad Homburg, said Fox showed signs

of uranium damage to his kidneys, radiation burns and a very high

immuno-globulin count, consistent with poisoning from cobalt, another

radioactive element. 

Fox moved to the house in 1988, when there was a Shell oil depot between it

and the main Reading-Waterloo rail lines. In 1990-91 the site was developed

for housing. It was polluted with industrial oils and heavy metals, which

were cleared by developers, but never tested for radioactive substances. > 

Fox's illness began in 1995 and before long he was suffering seizures,

convulsions and internal bleeding. In January 1997 he was forced to withdraw

from his building company. The business, which had a turnover of more than

£1m a year and carried out refurbishment work at Windsor Castle and for

brewery chains, employed up to 80 people. It later collapsed. 

His house is at a lower level than the former Shell site and he believes

this has allowed run-offs from there to gather beneath his house and garden.

There is also thought to be a main drain which ran from the Shell site

through Fox's garden. 

Shell UK said last week "no nuclear material was ever stored or processed"

at Earley. 

Both the National Radiological Protection Board (NRPB) and the Environment

Agency expressed surprise at the plutonium and uranium readings. 

"While the figures do not pose a threat to health, they are higher than

expected," said the Environment Agency. "We will want to look at them

further once we have more details." 

Dr Michael Clark, of the NRPB, said: "These are levels sometimes found near

nuclear installations, so it is very surprising to find them in a house in

Reading." He said the NRPB would investigate. 

Wokingham district council said it would investigate to corroborate the

results - and to establish any potential source. 

Last night Fox's medical adviser in Britain, Dr Dick van Steenis, said he

was appalled by the attitude of Berkshire health authority, which had

refused to let Fox continue treatment recommended by his doctor. Van Steenis

said Fox had also been denied a bone marrow test, despite support from his

GP. 

"He should be rehoused immediately. A full investigation of the building and

the Shell site should be carried out by independent consultants," said van

Steenis. 

The Ministry of Defence said it would co-operate with any investigation. 



Client Reference Soil sample 1 Soil sample 2  Soil sample 3 

Units                          Bg/kg              Bg/kg               Bg/kg 

Uranium-238              13.5                10.3                 10.2  

Uranium-235                4.7                  3.3                   2.6 

Uranium-234              18.4                21.8                 14.0 

Plutonium-238           12.2                <0.5                 <0.5 

Plutonium-239/40      54.9                11.4                    9.8 



This table shows the results from three soil samples taken from Ray Fox's

home in Earley, Berkshire in May 2001. Sample one was taken beneath the

floorboards of the house and shows the highest levels of plutonium. Samples

2 and 3 were taken from the garden of the house. All three samples show high

levels of two isotopes of plutonium and three isotopes of uranium. 

The first column shows the radioactive isotopes. 

The second, third and fourth the amount of radioactivity in Bequerels per

kilogram (the international measurement of radioactivity). 

  

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