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The most recent estimate of the radiation dose received by the Irish population shows a 9 per cent increase over previous estimates. This is according to a report Radiation Doses Received by the Irish Population published today by the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland (RPII). The report details results of a three-year baseline study of the various sources of ionising radiation to which the Irish population is exposed.
The report summarises the most comprehensive study of its kind undertaken in Ireland, bringing together data on exposure of the Irish population to all sources of radiation, both natural and artificial. Natural sources of radiation include radon, thoron (a radioactive gas similar to radon) and cosmic radiation from outer space. Artificial sources of radiation include medical exposure of patients, fallout from nuclear weapons testing, the accident at Chernobyl as well as discharges from Sellafield.
According to the report’s principal author, Dr Tony Colgan, Director of Advisory Services at the RPII, “the evaluation undertaken clearly identifies radon as the primary source of radiation dose in Ireland. Radon is a cancer causing gas and is the second most important cause of lung cancer in the country. It is also one of the few sources which can be controlled through measurement and remediation, both of which are relatively inexpensive to undertake. For these reasons, the RPII has always highlighted radon as a key radiation protection issue.”
The report identifies medical (patient) exposure to radiation as a matter of potential concern. According to Dr Colgan, “in recent years several countries have experienced a very significant increase in the radiation exposure of patients. Many of the new diagnostic techniques now available routinely deliver relatively high radiation doses and it is important that, at the individual level and in consultation with expert medical advice, each exposure is fully justified.”
The report notes that radiation doses in Ireland attributable to discharges from the Sellafield reprocessing plant are low compared to other sources of radiation exposure. On-going monitoring has shown that these discharges and the associated radiation doses in Ireland have been continuously reduced since the 1970s and early 1980s. Dr Colgan notes that “for those who eat fish and shellfish sourced from the Irish Sea, their radiation doses are of negligible health significance and the RPII does not recommend any restrictions on the consumption of seafood landed at east coast ports.”
The Irish population is exposed to higher levels of radiation than many other European countries. The report’s findings show that the average annual radiation dose in Ireland from all sources of radiation is 3950 microsievert (μSv). This may be compared, for instance, to 2600 μSv in the UK, 4200 μSv in Germany and a worldwide average of 2800 μSv. In Germany, the dose due to medical (patient) exposures is more than three times higher than in Ireland.
