Radiation dose to public from Dounreay reduces

6th November 2013

Dounreay’s radioactive impact on the environment continues to fall, according to a report.
The annual survey report “Radioactivity in Food and the Environment” (RIFE 2012) has recently been published and it can be read here - http://www.sepa.org.uk/radioactive_substances/publications/rife_reports.aspx

The report uses data obtained from samples of air, fresh water, grass, soil, and locally sourced meat, fish, milk and vegetables during 2012. It shows that the overall radiation dose to the public from eating food sourced around Dounreay has continued to decrease.
Everyone is exposed to natural sources of radiation, such as radon and cosmic radiation. The RIFE 2012 report indicates that the dose to the most exposed people due to Dounreay is less than 0.7 % of the UK average natural background dose.

The RIFE report was compiled by the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science on behalf of the Environment Agency, Food Standards Agency, Northern Ireland Environment Agency and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency.