Residents told to hand back anti-radiation Cold War pills
Skye folk were issued with tablets to stave off effects of radioactivity
Published:
A chilling reminder of the Cold War with Russia is being removed from the majority of homes in a west Highland village.
At the height of the tension, the Royal Navy established a berth for nuclear submarines in Broadford Bay, Skye, and therefore had to consider the consequences to the population should there have been any incident causing a radioactive leak into the local environment.
One of the precautions taken was to issue everyone living within 1.25 miles of the berth with anti-radiation potassium iodate tablets (Pits) that would help prevent contamination of the thyroid gland.
But now there is no operational need for nuclear subs to use the berth and the Royal Navy wants its tablets back.
All affected households have been written to by Commodore Chris Hockley, Naval Base Commander, Clyde, telling them that the Ministry of Defence has reviewed the future operational requirements for Z Berth
It is emphasised that this change refers only to use of the berth by nuclear-powered warships, and the berth remains an “important asset” for use by conventionally-powered vessels.
People who should have Pits are being sent prepaid envelopes to return their packages as soon as convenient.
The method has been agreed by consultation between the MoD, the Consultant in Public Health NHS Highland, the Highland Council and the Northern Constabulary.
A Royal Navy spokesman said yesterday: “This has got to be seen as a fairly positive thing. It’s a throwback to the Cold War when that was the route the Russians would come down and the way we went up, and that is a threat that no longer is seen to be a real one.
“The tablets were there for people’s safety and protection, and we are thankful there was never any need to use them.”
A website explaining Pits to people in the Portsmouth area states: “The natural process of the thyroid gland in the neck is to absorb iodine to make a hormone. Potassium iodate tablets flood the thyroid with stable iodine. This prevents the thyroid from taking up radioactive iodine which could enter the atmosphere as a result of a nuclear accident, and which could cause health problems in later life.”
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