SURFERS FEAR OVER RADIOACTIVE BEACHES

'Clean water advocates' Surfers Against Sewage (SAS) are calling for an independent government-funded study to examine the health of recreational water-users that use the sea close to nuclear power stations.

It follows the findings of a recent study by Dr Chris Busby who found appallingly high levels of cancer in the coastal town of Burnham-on-Sea, Somerset, just five miles from Hinkley Point nuclear power station.

With the small community of Burnham-on-Sea experiencing levels of some cancer's at five times the national average, Dr Busby's research looked at the hypothesis that radioactive particles discharged into the sea are deposited on the local mudbanks, blown downwind and inhaled by residents over a long timescale, triggering the cancers.

Surfers Against Sewage were shocked to learn that nearly two-thirds of those diagnosed with cancer in the community had hobbies involving the sea or the beach. With Britain's beaches experiencing an explosion in the popularity of water sports, there is little coastline around Britain that is not currently being used for water based leisure activities and this includes beaches close to existing nuclear power stations and nuclear facilities!

In recent years surfers and other water-users have been the litmus paper that tests the health risks of bathing in sewage contaminated seas. With the water industry cleaning up its act on coastal sewage discharges, a new, more sinister threat is now hanging over the water user. Just how big that threat is, no one knows.

Vicky Garner, SAS Campaigns Director says: "Having battled to remove the threat of viruses and bacteria from the water, it looks like there's another threat to water users emerging from the shallows. If the study findings are indicative of a situation arising near all nuclear facilities, the 'green, clean seas' of our dreams could soon be replaced by 'neon green, mean seas', the stuff of nightmares".

SAS are calling on the government to fund an independent study to examine the extent of the risk presented by nuclear discharges, to water users. Since many recreational water users spend several hours at a time in the water, they should be considered a high-risk group and should be the focus of an extensive, comprehensive study, urgently.

-ENDS-

For further information please contact Vicky or Richard on Tel: 01872 553001 or
Mob: 07817 401480. To see the full report of the Burnham survey go to www.llrc.org