RIFE 30 General Summary, Radioactivity in Food and the Environment, 2024
Updated 30 October 2025
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General summary
Radioactivity is all around us. It occurs naturally in the earth’s crust, and it can be found in the food we eat, the water we drink, as well as the air we breathe. We are also exposed to artificial sources of radioactivity, such as in medical applications used in hospitals and nuclear power. It is a legal requirement to ensure that the radiation exposure from artificial radioactivity, from all sources, is kept as low as reasonably achievable and within the annual 1mSv limit to protect the public and the environment.
In the UK, the radiation exposure from artificial radioactivity comes from permitted or authorised releases from UK nuclear sites and other sites that use radioactive materials, such as hospitals, research or industrial facilities; these sites are known as non-nuclear sites.
The Radioactivity in Food and the Environment (RIFE) report is published each year by environmental regulators and food standards agencies. This report brings together all the results of monitoring of radioactivity in food and the environment by the RIFE partners (Environment Agency, Food Standards Agency, Food Standards Scotland, Natural Resources Wales, Northern Ireland Environment Agency and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency).
An additional comparison can be made between the exposure from artificial and natural sources of radioactivity, which are calculated using a different approach and pathways of exposure compared to those estimated for people who live or work near nuclear and non-nuclear sites. The UK Health Security Agency has published estimates of exposures compared to the UK population from naturally occurring and artificial sources of radioactivity. The most recent values show that naturally occurring sources, particularly radon gas, accounted for around 84% of the exposure from all sources of radioactivity, with medical radiation contributing around 16%. Artificial radioactivity in the environment, from the nuclear industry and from past testing of nuclear weapons, accidental releases and occupational exposure accounted for less than 0.3% of the exposure to the UK population (see Figure GS). This figure shows the breakdown of the average UK population exposure.
Figure GS. Average UK population exposure from natural and artificial sources of radioactivity, data are rounded to the nearest percent (UK Health Security Agency - radiation and you
| Category | Percentage of total exposure from natural and artificial sources of radioactivity |
|---|---|
| radon and thoron in the home (from naturally occurring sources) | 44 |
| diagnostic medical procedures | 16 |
| terrestrial gamma radiation | 14 |
| cosmic radiation (non-occupational) | 13 |
| intake of naturally occurring radionuclides, excluding radon | 10 |
| occupational exposure to natural sources | 4.0 |
| other sources | 0.3 |
Headlines from the 2024 RIFE programme:
All sites
Exposure to the public from all sources of artificial radioactivity in food and the environment was low and well within the legal limit of 1 millisievert (mSv) per year[footnote 1].
Overall, between 2023 and 2024 there were no significant changes to the radioactivity measured in food and the environment.
For nuclear sites
In England, people living close to the Capenhurst site, were estimated to be the most exposed from sources of artificial radioactivity. The exposure in 2024 was approximately 22% of the annual dose limit.
In Scotland, people living close to the Dounreay site were estimated to be the most exposed from sources of artificial radioactivity. The exposure in 2024 was approximately 2% of the annual dose limit
In Wales, people living near the Trawsfynydd site were estimated to be the most exposed from sources of artificial radioactivity. The exposure in 2024 was approximately 4% of the annual dose limit
For other areas
In Northern Ireland, exposure to the public from sources of artificial radioactivity was estimated to be less than 1% of the annual dose limit.
A survey on the Channel Islands confirmed that the radiation exposure due to discharges from the French fuel reprocessing plant at La Hague and other local sources was estimated to be less than 0.5% of the annual dose limit.
Food and sources of public drinking water that make up a general diet for people were analysed for radioactivity across the UK. Results show that the radiation exposure from artificial radionuclides in people’s general diet was very small (less than 0.5% of the annual dose limit) in 2024.
Highlights: Nuclear fuel production and reprocessing
‘Total dose’ for the representative person was 22% (or less) of the annual dose limit for all assessed sites and locations.
Capenhurst, Cheshire
‘Total dose’ for the representative person was 22% of the annual dose limit and increased in 2024 compared to 2023.
Springfields, Lancashire
‘Total dose’ for the representative person was 1.7% of the annual dose limit and decreased in 2024 compared to 2023.
Cumbrian coastal area, including Sellafield, Cumbria
‘Total dose’ for the Cumbrian coastal community was 20% (or less) of the annual dose limit and decreased in 2024 compared to 2023.
The highest ‘total dose’ was from seafood, dominated by the effects of historical discharges of naturally occurring radionuclides from the former phosphate processing plant near Whitehaven. Historical discharges from the Sellafield site made a lesser contribution.
Radiation dose from historical discharges of naturally occurring radionuclides was lower in 2024 compared to 2023, but still dominant. The contribution to ‘total dose’ from Sellafield discharges (both historical and current) and sources of direct radiation from the LLWR decreased in 2024 compared to 2023.
Gaseous discharges from Sellafield of plutonium-alpha, and americium-241 and curium-242 were slightly higher, in 2024 compared to 2023.
Liquid discharges from Sellafield were generally lower, in 2024 compared to 2023.
Highlights: Nuclear power stations
‘Total dose’ for the representative person was less than 2% of the annual dose limit for all sites assessed.
Berkeley, Gloucestershire and Oldbury, South Gloucestershire
‘Total dose’ for the representative person was less than 0.5% of the annual dose limit and unchanged in 2024.
Bradwell, Essex
‘Total dose’ for the representative person was less than 0.5% of the annual dose limit and unchanged in 2024.
Dungeness, Kent
‘Total dose’ for the representative person was 1.0% of the annual dose limit and increased in 2024 compared to 2023.
Liquid discharges of sulphur-35 from Dungeness B were reported as nil in 2024.
Hartlepool, County Durham
‘Total dose’ for the representative person was 0.7% of the annual dose limit and decreased in 2024 compared to 2023.
Liquid discharges of tritium decreased in 2024 compared to 2023.
Heysham, Lancashire
‘Total dose’ for the representative person was 1.6% of the annual dose limit and increased in 2024 compared to 2023.
Gaseous discharges of carbon-14 from Heysham 1 and carbon-14 and sulphur-35 from Heysham 2 decreased in 2024 compared to 2023.
Hinkley Point, Somerset
‘Total dose’ for the representative person was 1.4% of the annual dose limit and decreased in 2024 compared to 2023.
Liquid discharges of tritium and caesium-137 from Hinkley Point A and tritium from Hinkley Point B decreased in 2024 compared to 2023.
Sizewell, Suffolk
‘Total dose’ for the representative person was 1.4% of the annual dose limit and increased in 2024 compared to 2023.
Gaseous discharges of carbon-14 from Sizewell B increased in 2024 compared to 2023.
Liquid discharges of tritium from Sizewell B increased in 2024 compared to 2023.
Chapelcross, Dumfries and Galloway
‘Total dose’ for the representative person was 0.7% of the annual dose limit and decreased in 2024 compared to 2023.
Hunterston, North Ayrshire
‘Total dose’ for the representative person was 0.6% of the annual dose limit and decreased in 2024 compared to 2023.
Gaseous discharges of all other radionuclides (excluding tritium and carbon-14) from Hunterston A increased in 2024 compared to 2023.
Torness, East Lothian
‘Total dose’ for the representative person was 1.1% of the annual dose limit and increased in 2024 compared to 2023.
Trawsfynydd, Gwynedd
‘Total dose’ for the representative person was 1.0% of the annual dose limit and increased in 2024 compared to 2023.
Wylfa, Isle of Anglesey
‘Total dose’ for the representative person was 0.8% of the annual dose limit and increased in 2024 compared to 2023.
Highlights: Research and radiochemical production establishments
‘Total dose’ (research) for the representative person were approximately 2% of the annual dose limit in 2024 (for sites that were assessed).
‘Total dose’ (radiochemical production) for the representative person were less than 9% of the annual dose limit in 2024.
Dounreay, Highland
‘Total dose’ for the representative person was 2.1% of the annual dose limit and decreased in 2024 compared to 2023.
Grove Centre, Amersham, Buckinghamshire
‘Total dose’ for the representative person was 8.7% of the annual dose limit and decreased in 2024 compared to 2023.
Gaseous discharges of ‘all other radionuclides’ (excluding tritium, radon-222, radionuclides presenting a half-life of less than 2 hours and other alpha-emitting radionuclides) increased in 2024.
Harwell, Oxfordshire
‘Total dose’ for the representative person was 0.8% of the annual dose limit and increased in 2024 compared to 2023.
Winfrith, Dorset
‘Total dose’ for the representative person was 1.5% of the annual dose limit and decreased in 2024 compared to 2023.
Highlights: Defence establishments
‘Total dose’ for the representative person were approximately 6% of the annual dose limit for all sites assessed.
Aldermaston and Burghfield, Berkshire
‘Total dose’ for the representative person was 1.0% of the annual dose limit and decreased in 2024 compared to 2023.
Barrow, Cumbria
‘Total dose’ for the representative person was 6.1% of the annual dose limit and increased in 2024 compared to 2023.
Derby, Derbyshire
‘Total dose’ for the representative person was 0.7% of the annual dose limit and increased in 2024 compared to 2023.
Devonport, Devon
‘Total dose’ for the representative person was less than 0.5% of the annual dose limit and unchanged in 2024 compared to that in 2023.
Gaseous discharges of argon-41 decreased in 2024.
Faslane and Coulport, Argyll and Bute
‘Total dose’ for the representative person was 0.5% of the annual dose limit and increased in 2024 compared to that in 2023.
Rosyth, Fife
‘Total dose’ for the representative person was 1.1% of the annual dose limit and increased in 2024 compared to that in 2023.
Gaseous discharges of carbon-14 increased in 2024.
Vulcan Naval Reactor Test Establishment, Highland
Gaseous discharges of ‘all other radionuclides’ decreased in 2024.
Highlights: Industrial, solid waste disposal, legacy and other non-nuclear sites
Doses (dominated by the effects of legacy discharges from other sources) increased at the Low Level Waste Repository in 2024.
Doses at solid waste disposal sites were less than 0.5% of the annual dose limit in 2024.
Doses (dominated by the effects of naturally occurring radionuclides from legacy discharges) decreased at Whitehaven in 2024 compared to 2023.
Highlights: Regional monitoring
Doses for the representative person were approximately 1% (or less) of the annual public dose limit in 2024.
General Summary Footnotes
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The average individual dose to a member of the UK population from all sources amounts to about 2.6 millisieverts (mSv) per year. This dose is primarily from natural sources of radioactivity. ↩