Chernobyl fall-out over UKIn 1986, because of fallout from the Chernobyl nuclear plant explosion in Russia on 26 Apr 1986, the slaughter and movement of lambs in parts of Cumbria, Scotland, was temporarily banned.Fallout in the UK from the Chernobyl accident was greatest where the passage of the cloud coincided with heavy rainfall in north Wales, Cumbria, parts of Scotland and northern Ireland. Caesium-137 activity concentrations in vegetation at one site in upland west Cumbria increased from 40 to 10,000 Bq kg–1 dry weight. Studies after the Chernobyl accident have shown that the transfer of radionuclides to sheep and goat products is greater than to cattle. Restrictions are imposed if any individual sheep in a flock exceeds the 1,000 Bq kg-1 (fresh weight) limit at which meat cannot enter the foodchain.[Image: Upland sheep in the area of Cumbria where movement and slaughter were still restricted 10 years after the Chernobyl accident.] |
