Research and analysis

Environmental radioactivity surveillance programme: 2014 results

This report (PHE-CRCE-027) presents surveillance data showing concentrations of radionuclides in milk and airborne particulates for 2014.

• From: Public Health England
• Published: 18 July 2016

Documents

PHE-CRCE-027: environmental radioactivity surveillance programme: results for 2014

Ref: ISBN 978-0-85951-786-7, PHE publications gateway number 2016133

PDF, 196 KB, 11 pages

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Details

This report is the latest of a series in which the results of Public Health England’s environmental radioactivity surveillance programme are presented. It contains the measurement data for the year 2014.

Within the main programme, samples of airborne dust and milk are collected routinely from selected locations within the UK, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man. The activity concentrations of various radionuclides are measured.

In general, the radionuclides detected result from nuclear weapons tested in the atmosphere in the 1950s and 1960s and from the nuclear reactor accident at Chernobyl in the Ukraine in 1986, although the programme is able to detect any other sources of significant contamination. The results indicate that concentrations of artificial radionuclides in the general environment remain at the low levels observed in recent years.

In addition to the main programme, samples of airborne dust have been collected in the vicinity of the Sellafield nuclear fuel reprocessing plant in west Cumbria. The results are consistent with those published by the site operator and other government agencies.

Published 18 July 2016