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Latest report shows radioactivity in Scotland’s environment continues to stay well within strict safety limits

Produced annually by the UK’s environmental and food safety regulators, including the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), the report confirms that no member of the public received a dose anywhere near the statutory annual limit of 1 millisievert from permitted discharges in 2025.

Monitoring carried out by SEPA shows that the highest radiation dose received by any member of the public in Scotland from permitted discharges of radioactivity was around 2.5% of the legal limit (0.025 millisieverts). An additional comparison can be made between exposure to artificial (man-made) and natural sources. It is estimated that the average person in the UK receives around 2.6 millisieverts a year from all sources of radiation, with 84% of that exposure coming from natural background radiation such as cosmic rays and radon. 

RIFE tracks levels of radioactivity in food, drinking water and the environment to assess any potential impact on human health. The findings show that artificial radioactivity in the environment, such as from historic nuclear industry operations, weapons testing and authorised discharges are detectable in the environment. The UK Health Security Agency estimate that these minor sources account for approximately 0.3% of overall exposure to the UK population. 

SEPA are responsible for radiological monitoring in Scotland and ensure that permitted sites operate within strict licence conditions. Regular monitoring of areas where people live and work near nuclear facilities provides reassurance that radiation levels remain low and tightly controlled.

Mark Toner, SEPA Radioactive Substance Science Manager, said:

“Our extensive monitoring programme continues to demonstrate that doses received by the public from man-made radioactivity remain extremely low. The highest dose recorded was around just 2% of the annual limit.

“For context, that statutory limit of 1 millisievert is roughly a third of what people typically receive each year from natural background radiation alone.

“These results reflect the strength of our regulatory oversight and the ongoing commitment of industry to minimise discharges and its impact on the environment. We will continue to ensure Scotland’s radioactivity monitoring and assessment programme remains robust, providing clear reassurance to the public.”

Notes to editors

• RIFE is a joint publication from the UK organisations responsible for ensuring that public exposure to radioactivity from authorised discharges remains within strict international limits. Contributors are SEPA, the Environment Agency, Food Standards Agency, Food Standards Scotland, Natural Resources Wales and the Northern Ireland Environment Agency.

• Access the full Radioactivity in food and the environment (RIFE) report on the gov.uk website. 

• View overall exposure to the UK population via the Radiation Protection Services - Ionising radiation exposure of the UK population, published June 2025