RIFE - Radioactivity in Food and the Environment
The RIFE report gives results of a UK wide monitoring programme for radioactivity in food and environment. This monitoring has been conducted by the Environment Agencies* and the Food Standards Agency.
The monitoring programme assesses the levels of radioactivity and the amount of radiation the public is exposed to near 39 nuclear sites in the UK. The results make up the RIFE report which collates the findings from these programmes. The report enables us to check that radiation exposure to the public is within legal limits across the country.
RIFE contains information on radiation exposures and radioactivity levels in the environment which helps us improve our understanding of its impact on the environment.
Summary Results - General radiation levels
- Levels of radioactivity in the environment are falling.
- Radioactivity from natural background continues to be a more significant source of exposure to communities in all areas of the UK.
- No major changes in external dose rates in inter-tidal areas were found in 2006 compared to 2005.
Radioactivity and Radiation in the Environment from Industry
- Across the UK, the public’s exposure to radiation around nuclear sites was below the legal (national and international) limit.
- Discharges from nuclear sites do not compromise environmental or public health and all doses are within legal limits.
- In 2006 there were 20,000 analyses or dose rate measurements around the UK near 39 nuclear sites.
- As old power stations close, industry practice changes and the effects of effluent treatment plants continue to work through, there is a gradual overall downward trend in levels of radioactivity in the environment around nuclear sites.
- We need to continue to monitor the effects of the Chernobyl accident.
Radiation in food
- Food remains safe and the public’s exposure to ionizing radiation is within legal limits.
- There were no major changes in levels of radioactivity in food or environmental materials in 2006 to those in 2005.
- Read the Radioactivity in Food and the Environment (RIFE) report 2006 in full
- Appendix 1 - a summary of the sampling, measurement, presentation and assessment methods and data used in producing the RIFE report.
Our role in monitoring and regulation of radioactivity in the environment
As a nuclear regulator it is our job to safeguard the environment and human health.
We work with the Food Standards Agency, Environment and Heritage Service and Scottish Environment Protection Agency on radiological monitoring of food and the environment.
We set limits and regulate the discharges and emissions of radioactive waste from authorised premises. Our monitoring programmes are independent of those carried out by operators who discharge radioactive effluents.
*The report is compiled by the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS) (on our behalf), Environment & Heritage Service (E&HSNI), Food Standards Agency (FSA) and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA).
