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Anonymous
24-Jun-03, 13:47
I see Greenpeace have discovered enhanced levels of the radioactive isotope Tc-99 in farmed Scottish salmon, it appears that they blame this on discharges from Sellafield, maybe. However hospitals rotinely use significant quantities of Tc-99m in diagnostic nuclear medicine and it is routinely disposed off directly via people to the sewage system. Has that pathway been ruled out? Or is it just not such a dramatic headline, maybe this is a backhand way at geting at the fish farming fraternity as they are seen as environmental polluters as well. A double whammy.

George Brims
24-Jun-03, 17:58
One thing people don't seem to realise about radioactive sources is how very very little you can actually detect. For example when you hear a click on an old-fashioned geiger counter, that's the result of just one single atom undergoing decay. The amounts Greenpeace have found are way below what's known to be dangerous.

Greenpeace are as usual only interested in headlines. I lost my faith in them years back when they had a big campaign to stop the seal cull in Orkney, and basically declared victory and went home when they stopped getting big publicity - even though the cull was still going ahead (reduced by half ).