From the York Daily Record, two days ago:
The Pennsylvania Department of Health will be distributing free potassium iodide (KI) tablets to those York County residents that live, learn or work within 10 miles of the Peach Bottom power plant.
According to the York County Office of Emergency Management, the distribution will take place between 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 13, at the Peach Bottom Recreation Center located at 5 Pendyrus St. in Delta.
KI helps protect the thyroid gland against harmful radioactive iodine in the unlikely event of a radiological emergency. Taking KI tablets, when directed by emergency response officials, helps reduce the risk of thyroid cancer from exposure to radioactive iodine. https://eu.ydr.com/story/news/local/2026/08/13/ki-tablet-distribution-set-near-peach-bottom-nuclear-facility/91226883007/
We’ve been reporting on this for some years now but as recently as February this year, we had:
From an Ontario-based news website, nsauga, the above and:
With potassium pills distributed to residents living in the shadow of one of Durham Region’s two nuclear plants in 2015 set to expire, a batch of replacement pills will be sent to all those living within 10 kilometres of either Pickering or Darlington nuclear generating stations. The initiative, a partnership between Ontario Power Generation, the Durham Health Department and Toronto Emergency Management, will provide residents living near the nuclear stations with replacement potassium iodide (KI) pills. These pills will replace those sent out in 2015, which are set to expire in 2027. https://www.insauga.com/protection-from-harmful-radioactive-iodine-in-the-mail-for-those-living-near-ontario-nuclear-plants/
Has the UK Government, responsible for nuclear power regulation in Scotland ever shown such concern for Scots living near nuclear facilities in Scotland?
Of course they haven’t.
Other countries? Of course they have.
Sky News in September 2019, reported:
France is to give free iodine tablets to more people living near the country’s 19 nuclear plants. Around 2.2 million people living within 20km (12.4 miles) of a nuclear plant will be given the tablets to protect their bodies from the effects of radiation in the event of an accident. In 2016, five years after the nuclear accident in the Japanese city of Fukushima, France gave iodine to those living within 10km (6.2 miles) of a nuclear plant.
Thyroid cancer incidence in France has increased dramatically over recent decades, particularly for papillary thyroid cancer. From 1980 to 2005, the number of cases rose from 325 to 1,599 in men and from 1,027 to 5,073 in women. This period correlates with a massive expansion of nuclear energy which now accounts for 75% of France’s electricity generation.
https://www.american-hospital.org/en/pathologie/thyroid-cancer
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26003877/
More recently, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Department of Health, the statewide distribution of free potassium iodide (KI) tablets on August 14 for all Pennsylvanians who live, work, or study within 10 miles of the four active nuclear power plants in the Commonwealth. It had done so the previous year too. https://www.pa.gov/agencies/health/newsroom/doh-to-distribute-free-ki-tablets-to-residents-near-nuclear-powe
Reading this, i wondered how common this practice is. From a Grok AI request:
Several countries distribute iodine tablets (potassium iodide, or KI) to residents living near nuclear power plants as a precautionary measure to protect against radioactive iodine exposure in the event of a nuclear accident. Below is a list of countries known to have such programs, based on available information:
- Belgium: Belgium provides iodine tablets to its entire population of 11 million, with distribution expanded to cover the whole country, not just areas near the Tihange and Doel nuclear plants. This was updated in 2016 following concerns about nuclear safety and potential terrorist threats.
- Canada: The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission requires homes and businesses within 10 km of nuclear power stations to maintain a supply of KI pills, available free at select pharmacies, particularly in regions like Durham and Toronto.
- France: France has distributed iodine tablets to residents within a 10 km radius of its 19 nuclear power stations since 1997, with recent campaigns in 2024 for areas near plants like Penly and Paluel. Some groups advocate for expanding this to a 20 km radius.
- Germany: Germany stockpiles over 180 million iodine tablets across various locations like town halls, fire stations, and pharmacies for distribution in case of a nuclear incident, particularly near nuclear plants, with specific protocols varying by federal state.
- Netherlands: The Dutch government has ordered 15 million iodine pills for distribution, primarily to children under 18 and pregnant women within a 62-mile radius of nuclear plants, with plans to make them available to others if needed.
- Norway: Norway recommends that individuals under 40, pregnant women, and those with children store iodine tablets at home, available for purchase without a prescription, to be taken only on government advice.
- Switzerland: Switzerland has mailed iodine tablets to approximately 5 million residents as a precautionary measure, to be taken only upon authorities’ request in case of a nuclear disaster.
- Ukraine: Ukraine has distributed iodine tablets to residents within a 30-mile radius of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, particularly during heightened concerns in 2022 due to conflict-related risks.
- United States: In the U.S., states like Pennsylvania and New York distribute free KI tablets to residents within 10 miles of nuclear power plants. Pennsylvania, for example, offers replacements for expired tablets, with distributions planned for August 2025.
- Finland: Finland has advised households to purchase iodine tablets, leading to shortages in pharmacies in 2022 due to concerns over the Ukraine conflict and potential nuclear risks.
I can find no such iodine issue in the UK but three months ago, UK households were urged, by a retired army officer on Yorkshire Live, to stockpile (at your own expense) tinned food, iodine tablets and water in the light of the Russian threat.
The Labour Government plans to build dozens of new small nuclear plants across the UK, will keep the nuclear subs in the Clyde and has no serious plans to clean up Sellafield. You’d probably best get those tablets yourself!
Why does this matter especially so in Scotland?
We already have the highest cancer rates in the world.
From Public Health Scotland in 2023:
Cancer incidence in Scotland, age-adjusted rates and 95% confidence intervals (CI) of expected rates,* 2010-2021
The rate, or risk, of new cancers also increased to 644 per 100,000 (an increase of 3.1% compared with 2019) and was higher than expected from the long-term trend.
Imagine these were drug cases. Would our media want to know how they compare with the rest of the world? Just a bit. ‘Drug capital of Europe!!‘
Note: Cancer cases rather than cancer deaths are a better measure of the risk from pollution of the environment. Scotland’s superior NHS is, no doubt, compensating for what follows.
From the World Health Organisation in 2022:
The average level of cancer cases in Europe is only 280 per 100 000 compared with 640 in Scotland. In North America, it’s 364.7 and in Oceania (Australia, NZ), it’s 409. In Asia and Africa, I feel sure, detection rates are even lower due to ‘third-world’ health provision.
Scotland is clearly the cancer capital of the whole world. Why is that not news?
And England, most of it further way from Sellafield and Trident than most Scots are? From the Gov UK site, the rate is 540 per 100 000, also very high globally but significantly lower than in Scotland at 640.
With the most dangerous radioactive plant in Europe at Sellafield in Cumbria, only miles from the border, with the experimental nuclear facility at Dounreay in Caithness, with UK and for some time, US, nuclear submarines and missiles based only 35-40 miles from Glasgow and sailing along the West of Scotland coastline, and with two major power stations at Hunterston and Torness, both within the densely populated central belt, Scotland has been exposed to large-scale and largely unknown risks for 70 years now.
While no government-funded scientists will ever admit to any link between the contamination and cancer cases, the onus is not on us but on them to prove there is none.
And before you say it – Scots smoke more? No they don’t.
15% of Scots smoke. Fewer than in most European countries.
Links and sources:
- https://publichealthscotland.scot/publications/cancer-incidence-in-scotland/cancer-incidence-in-scotland-to-december-2021
- https://gco.iarc.fr/today/en/dataviz/bars?types=0_1&mode=population&key=asr&sort_by=value1
- https://www.statista.com/statistics/312961/new-cancer-cases-rate-england-age-gender/#:~:text=Cancer%20is%20an%20aggregation%20of,excluding%20non%2Dmelanoma%20skin%20cancer
- https://www.gov.scot/publications/scottish-health-survey-2022-volume-1-main-report/pages/11/#:~:text=As%20noted%20above%2C%20in%202022,%25%20and%2013%25%20respectively).
- https://www.euronews.com/health/2023/08/14/smoking-in-europe-which-countries-are-the-most-and-least-addicted-to-tobacco-and-vaping#:~:text=According%20to%20data%20compiled%20by,smoked%20fewer%20than%2020%20units
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I used to live near Hunterston and iodine tablets were given out to local residents but only within a tiny area e.g. 2.5/3km. (See EDF Emergency Information Torness for Local Residents). My small village was deemed to be outwith that area (though I doubted that) and when I asked where it was measured from was told ‘from where the incident happens’. Ironically paragliders were banned from using the hill behind the village after 911 being within a 2km radius of Hunterston!
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A map of cancer incidence broken down into regions of the UK would be interesting. Is it more prevalent in Glasgow or in Cumbria than the South East of England, for example.
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“The Pennsylvania Department of Health will be distributing free potassium iodide (KI) tablets to those York County residents that live, learn or work within 10 miles of the Peach Bottom power plant“
“Has the UK Government, responsible for nuclear power regulation in Scotland ever shown such concern for Scots living near nuclear facilities in Scotland ?”
Nope.
Indeed as far as UK governments are concerned, both the Tories & also the Labour party , all they seek to do is to impose more Nuclear power Stations within Scotland.
Potential various dire consequences and fallout (pun intended) be damned.
However it seems that they, UK governments via Tories & Labour, also have scant regard for the consequences and impact re Climate change as well.
The new Tory leader Badenoch was reported in a 2025 BBC article on having “pledged to scrap the UK’s landmark climate change legislation and replace it with a strategy for “cheap and reliable” energy“
Also in July 2026 The Telegraph “confirmed she, Badenoch, will block prospective (Tory) parliamentary candidates and reject former (Tory) MPs who support the 2050 net-zero emissions target“.
Then there is the new Labour leader and UK PM , as in the supposed ‘big “change” from Starmer’ one Andy Burnham, who seems to be going very cold on climate change facts and reality , that is, he is seems to be ignoring the fact that the Earth is heating up.
So far, since taking over as the new UK PM, it has been reported that:
“Andy Burnham will tell firms bidding for public contracts to prove they are creating jobs rather than meeting green and social targets in a bid to get more people into work”. (Source BBC website UK Business section August 2026)
“Burnham’s “emergency” Cobra meeting on the drought didn’t even mention climate, with the Prime Minister blaming the growing numbers of wildfires on disposable barbecues“. (Adam Bienkov wrote on Bluesky in August 2026)
So seems to be that “disposable barbecues” are Labour’s chosen scapegoats for wildfires , but surely not for the drought that exists in both England and Wales nor indeed for the deaths reported due to these heatwaves (Met Office July 2026 – “An estimated 2,877 people died from heat-related causes during the severe May and June heatwaves in England and Wales”).
“Andy Burnham moves to cut new EV sales targets” (Adam Bienkov posted this on Bluesky in August 2026 based on an article by The Guardian newspaper).
So currently there are wildfires , heatwaves, drought, deaths due to the unprecedented high temperatures within certain places in his UK State.
However Burnham tries to not mention climate change( while he also seems to be conveniently forgetting Labour’s GB Energy Ltd, as in Labour’s so called 2024 Green revolution manifesto policy).
So as to the new oil field (Rosebank) and the new Gas field (Jackdaw) why is there no announcement from Burnham yet on what his final decision is upon them.
Well it’s obvious is it not.
Now is not the time to announce it , especially when we have so much catastrophic consequences happening within certain places in his UK State all because of this EXCESSIVE HEAT via Climate change.
So I suspect that the new Labour UK government, under Burnham as the new UK PM, are only waiting until what they (and he) thinks is a much better time to give the ‘green’ light to these two fields going ahead.
I only suspect this as being the case because so far , Burnham has abandoned the pretence in respect to one of Labour’s 2024 flagship policies, GB Energy, and he is also adopting some very non climate friendly decisions / policies .
Climate change catastrophes within the UK State ?
Burnham seems ‘Mad for it’ ( to quote a Manchester saying).
Liz S
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Sad to say but a significant part of Scotland’s population is in the Pripyat zone (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pripyat) of Hunterston, Faslane, Coulport…and don’t forget the nuclear reactor in the centre of East Kilbride which started decommissioning in 1997 in the wake of Chernobyl. Amazing how few people know about that reactor and I have no idea of the current status: SUERC (Scottish Universities Environmental Research Centre) Rankine Avenue, Scottish Enterprise Technology Park, East Kilbride, G75 0QF: https://suerc.ac.uk/about/suerc-history/. In March 2022, given the imminence of nuclear disaster following the Russian attack on the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, I tried to find prophylactic iodine advice, uncovering the same nuclear plant proximity advice as posted above. I also asked the local pharmacy for advice and expected mockery but the pharmacist was genuinely shocked at the question and later confirmed there was no governmental advice whatsoever. I bought Lugol’s iodine and worked out the likely prophylactic dosages for extended family members (NB poisonous if you get it wrong). Not sure why I bothered…various members of my family have rare congenital or similar haematopoietic disorders including a completely unrelated husband and wife (one now dead). Good luck to you all. 🤞
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O/T apologies
“Jason Arday’s death is desperately sad. I didn’t know him and I don’t know the truth of what has been written about him. But I do wonder what is happening to us. We witness it regularly in media and social media. The pile-ons, the tribalism, the need to have an instant view on everything. We are losing our sense of proportion and, I believe, our humanity with it”
This was a post on 14 August on ‘X’ , which I agree with.
Though I do have a problem with who posted it.
That’s because this person is also guilty of instigating “pile-ons” and also adopts a “tribalism” stance (as do many of her other Labour colleagues as well).
The person is Joani Reid.
So Joani Reid thinks “we are losing our sense of proportion” and also “our humanity” .
Yet in 2025 The Herald newspaper reported that the same Joani Reid had :
“Accused the SNP of turning Glasgow into ‘a sanctuary for asylum seekers’ due to ‘virtue-signalling policies“.
Is that then , as a (fake) statement, not further encouraging a “pile on” against asylum seekers and also against the SNP, as well as being an example of her , yet again, demonstrating political “tribalism” towards a political opponent?
Also is immigration not a reserved policy as I read that it is “the UK government’s Home Office that sends asylum seekers to Glasgow as part of its nationwide dispersal scheme“.
Also in relation to having “the need to have instant view on everything” does she and her party not always have both an “instant” and a consistently negative and dismissive “view” upon the SNP.
Indeed there is that which is referred to as “the Bain principle”. (which states that the Labour parliamentarians should not vote for or support any motions put forward in parliament by the Scottish National Party (SNP), regardless of the topic”).
In December 2025 Joani Reid posted this response below on X (based on a Herald newspaper article that stated that “Scotland is sinking into a ethical abyss and we all know who it to blame, don’t we”) :
Her response was “In recent weeks, the SNP has been embroiled in a series of calamities and misadventures that in other parts of the world would be considered proof of a failed state.” Sublime writing and devastatingly accurate”.
I wonder was that article by The Herald not just yet another attempt by them at a “pile on” against the SNP and also another example of the “tribalism” that we also witness within the UK media against the SNP (and also against Scotland).
(Indeed is it not the type of bad behaviour , bad attitude and toxic rhetoric that Joani Reid stated in her August 14th post on X in that she supposedly both dislikes/despairs of ).
Or is Scotland and the SNP seen by her as being fair game , especially when it means that she can then also contribute to the “pile on” with her Labour party “tribal” politics (as she wrongly assumes that it will somehow gain a political advantage for her and her party).
As seemingly , in response to that bad behaviour , bad attitude and toxic rhetoric within The Herald’s article she is seen to both embrace and praise it via her response on X , that is because , as an article , it is one that is being used against the SNP by one of the many politically compromised, toxic and partisan tribal UK media.
Joani Reid is Hypocrite.
Then of course we also have the double standards applied when it comes to a UK politician and any SNP politician , as this below was posted by Paul Hutcheon on X on March 2026:
“EXCL: Health Secretary Wes Streeting has defended a Scottish Labour MP facing suspension after her husband’s arrest. In the case of Joani Reid, Streeting warned of making “assumptions about women” based on the actions of their husbands“.
If you try, as she did, “virtue signalling” in a post on ‘X’ (August 2026 post) , then perhaps it is best that you also recall that some people still have the ‘receipts’ on your previous comments to a newspaper (The Herald 2025), where you accuse others (SNP) of ‘virtue-signalling policies” in respect to a vulnerable group , as in asylum seekers.
That alone exposed her pathetic and politically desperate attempt at a “pile on” against the SNP and also against asylum seekers , as well as her being seen to be still firmly entrenched in tribal politics on behalf of her party.
Some people are just so bloody transparent, so much so that it is quite nauseating to witness their blatant duplicity and hypocrisy that exposes their sheer dishonesty , especially when what they write and say now contradicts that which they wrote and said in the past.
Liz S
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