Re: Out to get Dominique?

That's no more a risk than taking several holiday plane journeys a year Solasch. The levels of mercury in some fish is a higher risk to health if you eat too much. So they advise pregnant women and the infirm to limit consumption or avoid fish altogether.

Re: Out to get Dominique?

That's right, but these risk are added together, in the individual. For a given individual the increase in risk seems small. But, assuming that the relative risk of flying is one cancer case in a million people flying, and also assuming the relative risk of eating fish is one in a million, doing both doubles your risk for cancer.

On the scale of populations you see the number of birth defects and cancer cases increase. Even for causes with low risks, due to the number of people exposed, the number of cases can be important.

Re: Out to get Dominique?

The risk of Sellafield radiation to North sea fish will be zero! There is natural radiation on parts of our isles. But reactors are not anywhere close to the main fishing areas. Its more interesting where the waste ends up but I'm sure they take every precaution here. More so than in other nations.

Re: Out to get Dominique?

the case of Sellafield, aerial emissions have deposited two to three times the plutonium fallout from total atmospheric nuclear weapons testing within a 20-km radius of this facility. Since the inception of reprocessing at Sellafield in the 1960s, it has been estimated that between 250 and 500*kg of plutonium from the plant is now adsorbed onto sediments on the bed of the Irish Sea. Migration of these undersea deposits to coastal environments potentially represents a long-term hazard of unknown proportions [1].

The village of Seascale lies roughly south of Sellafield. A stretch of deserted beach runs northward toward the Sellafield plant, which has its discharge pipeline just 2*km off the coast. The beach used to be popular with bathers, but, now, many guide books make reference to the radioactive pollution from Sellafield. In fact, in 1993, a government survey found that the incidence of leukemia and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma was 14 times the national average and twice that in other areas of West Cumbria [2]. An increased incidence of retinoblastoma in children and a statistically significant increase in stillbirth risk in the Sellafield region have also been observed [1].

The main pathways for radiation exposure for people living in the vicinity of Sellafield are external radiation from airborne and deposited radionuclides, internal exposure resulting from inhalation of airborne radionuclides, and ingestion of radionuclides from contaminated food. In Sellafield, locally caught fish and shellfish have been found to be contaminated with toxic radionuclides, particularly, plutonium and americium [1].

https://www.intechopen.com/online-fi...implications-f

Re: Out to get Dominique?

Sellafield is not a fishing town supplying our food stock as far as I know. As far as i am concerned there is far greater risk of cancer living in a polluted city than from Sellafield which is surrounded by one of the least polluted regions in the UK. The highest risk to health is from eating too much processed carbs meat and fat, consuming alcohol and smoking. Lack of exercise fibre and day to day chemical exposure. Genetics play a major factor. People in the UK who avoid the risks have a long and healthy life. Nuclear reactors are based in areas of low population. It's going to be healthier than living near an oil refinery so not sure where you are headed in this discussion but you seem a bit out at sea!

Re: Out to get Dominique?

Thanks Annie, With regards to Tuna, I don't buy tinned tuna anymore. I always bought John West tinned tuna until I found out that John West owns and ships out the tuna at his factory in Thailand! I thought that was very underhand by not publicising the fact that the fish is travelling half way around the world.,

Re: Out to get Dominique?

Obviously you don't want to know about sellafield, radioactivity and fish. I respect your reluctance. Let's drop the line of discussion.

Re: Out to get Dominique?

Oh dear Solly, why don't you take a look at a map of northern England and get your geographical facts straight before you put your foot in your gob. Sellafield is on the Irish Sea coast in Cumbria (west of Northern England), Whitby is on the North Sea coast of North Yorkshire (east side of Northern England).

Re: Out to get Dominique?

We all know about Sellafield as the risks have been discussed in the UK for decades. But our fish in shops does not come from there or near nuclear reactors so not clear how it's relevant to the fish industry debate we are having. Yes our fish may be polluted with heavy metals and it may also have a natural radiation but so does all food.

We are exposed to radiation every single day. One has to be realistic that life on this planet is dangerous, despite all precautions we get sick and die eventually. I'm personally more worried about eating plastic and the hormone levels in our water, nitrates and sulphites. As well as artificial sweeteners, fragrances and other chemicals. Not the stuff we know to avoid but what we take for granted as being safe. You would however have to eat a mountain of fish every day to have any risk.

Re: Out to get Dominique?

Well said AnnieS.