Less than one per cent of the average exposure to radiation in the Netherlands can be traced back to industry and nuclear facilities. The average total exposure to radiation in the Netherlands has barely changed for years. This is the outcome of a study conducted by RIVM.
In order to protect the public, exposure limits have been adopted for a number of sources of radiation. These are the regulated sources, such as industry, nuclear facilities and wastewater discharges from hospitals. Medical treatments themselves are not included in this category.
RIVM has compiled an overview of the exposure to various regulated sources of radiation, consumer products and fallout in the Netherlands. ‘Fallout’ refers to radiation as a result of radionuclides that entered the environment after above-ground nuclear weapons tests in the previous century and nuclear accidents (Chernobyl and Fukushima).
This study is a follow-up to a previous overview RIVM compiled in 2003.
Share of industry below one per cent
The exposure to radiation in the Netherlands from regulated sources and fallout is very low: less than one per cent of the total exposure on average per person. Fallout accounts for the largest share, but this share has been decreasing for years due to radioactive decay.
Overview of sources of radiation
Members of the public are all exposed to ionising radiation in their daily lives because of naturally occurring radionuclides in the soil, in building materials, in food and in water. They are also exposed to cosmic radiation. Naturally occurring radiation and radiation from medical treatments make up the largest share of total exposure.
RIVM was commissioned by the Authority for Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection (Autoriteit Nucleaire Veiligheid en Stralingsbescherming, ANVS) to compile this overview.