Sir, Nuala Ahern MEP, (February 6th) is concerned that insufficient research is being done by the Radiological Protection Institute (RPII) and others into the health effects of radiation from nuclear facilities, such a Sellafield, whereas research into radon is more readily supported. May I first assure her that radiation is probably the best researched of all contaminants, but that the significance of the radiation doses from naturally occurring radon was only recognised in the past 20 years.
The RPII makes extensive measurements of all ionising radiation hazards to the Irish population and regularly reports on the scientific facts which are as follows. The average annual dose from all sources is 2,800 microsieverts, of which 1,500 comes from radon and about 1 from Sellafield. Should a house be at the reference level for radon (200 becquerels per cubic meter) then the occupants receive about 5,000 microsieverts and in some parts of the country one third of the douses exceed this level.
The radon in some houses produces doses of over 25,000 microsieverts. The risks per microsievert from radon or from Sellafield are the same. It is considered that up to 20 per cent of lung cancer deaths in Ireland 300 a year may be due to radon
The RPII reports on these facts, but finds it hard to understand why there is so little concern shown about the radiation doses from radon. It is extremely difficult to see how any alleged health effects on the east coast could be due to one microsievert from Sellafield, given that we all receive 2,800 microsieverts, mostly from natural sources.
Politicians such as Nuala Ahern get annoyed with the RPII when the facts it reports do not agree with their favourite political soapboxes. Yours, etc., Professor of Applied Physics, University College, Galway.