Officials with the United Kingdom's Royal Navy are in hot water for pressuring a government agency to conceal information about radioactive pollution.
What's happening?
Investigative news outlet The Ferret obtained emails in which naval officials urged the Scottish Environment Protection Agency to keep details of the pollution secret. The Ferret made Freedom of Information Act requests in 2019, 2023, and 2024 for files regarding radioactive problems at two naval bases in Scotland. SEPA kept most of the files secret after consulting the Ministry of Defence, which cited national security concerns.
The decision was reconsidered when The Ferret took the matter to the Scottish Information Commissioner. In June, SEPA was ordered to release the files by July 28. In response, naval and MOD officials engaged in correspondence with SEPA and the commissioner, sending around 130 emails over nine days in an attempt to reverse the decision.
The Ferret made further FOIA requests to obtain the emails. They showed that naval officials went as far as to threaten legal action against SEPA if the files were released, though what kind is unclear. The MOD was flagged for the matter and called it "deeply uncomfortable" but added, "We have objections but we won't appeal further."
Why is public information important?
The cover-up was an effort to conceal information about radioactive pollution in Loch Long on the River Clyde in Scotland. When SEPA finally released the files in August, they revealed that the Royal Navy had failed to properly maintain a network of pipes at the Royal Naval Armaments Depot at Coulport, resulting in "unnecessary radioactive waste."
Keeping such information from the public is dangerous, especially when it comes to health. Loch Long is a popular site for water sports, but tourists might think twice about going for a swim if they knew what lurked beneath the surface.
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What's being done about the release of public information?
Information on radioactive waste in Scotland's Loch Long is now available thanks to The Ferret's investigative journalists. News outlets must continue to push for answers, even when public officials try to conceal the truth. Only with education can we find our way to a cleaner future for all.
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