Radiological Habits Survey and Food Monitoring Results Chris Thomas Radiological and Novel Foods Policy Tel: 020 7276 8728 Email: christopher.thomas@food.gov.uk West Cumbria Site Stakeholder Group Environmental Health WG Radiological Habits Survey and Food Monitoring Results Chris Thomas Food Standards Agency 30 November 2017

Annual Sellafield review Habits Survey Annual Sellafield review

What is a Habits Survey?

Assessment of dose: Where Habits Surveys fit in Level of radioactivity in the food (Bq per kg) Amount of food eaten (kg per year) Dose (mSv per year) Dose coefficient (mSv per kg) Monitoring programmes provide radionuclide concentrations (and dose rates) Habits surveys provide consumption (and occupancy rates) Assessment of doses to the public near nuclear sites

Sellafield Habits Survey and Annual Reviews Habits surveys consider potential routes (pathways) by which individuals may become exposed to radioactivity, usually every 5 years Looks at food consumption (aquatic and terrestrial) and time people spend in areas where contamination may be present Annual reviews specifically investigate consumption of crustaceans, molluscs and fish, and time spent in intertidal areas which are are major contributors to the dose Rates vary from year to year, some people ceasing seafood consumption, shellfish collection or intertidal activities and new individuals identified Conducted by Cefas on behalf of Food Standards Agency, Environment Agency and Office for Nuclear Regulation.

Sellafield Annual Habits Review 2016 Most recent full habit survey for Sellafield was conducted in 2013 In 2016, annual review survey took place between 6 and 10 June Interviews with members of the public with data collected for 52 people Individuals asked to estimate the quantity of seafood eaten and time spent over intertidal areas, for themselves and family members The 2016 Sellafield habits survey review was published in November 2017 and is available on the Cefas website Results used in the dose assessment in the RIFE report for 2016 which was published in October 2017 and is available on the FSA website

Aquatic Survey Area Extends from Parton to Tarn Bay. Includes all intertidal areas and extends up to 11 km offshore.

Consumption rates over time Consumption rates for the adult high-rate group for molluscs, 2007 – 2016 (kg y-1) Consumption rates for the adult high-rate group for crustaceans, 2007 – 2016 (kg y-1) Between 2015 and 2016: Only minor changes in consumption rates

External dose rates from intertidal areas. Comparison between the 2015 and 2016 mean rates of the high-rate groups for occupancy over each intertidal substrate

Food Monitoring near Sellafield

Fish and shellfish monitoring

Seafood monitoring results Cobalt-60 liquid discharge from Sellafield and concentrations in plaice, lobsters and winkles near Sellafield, 2004-2016 Cobalt-60 Technetium-99 Technetium-99 liquid discharge from Sellafield and concentrations in plaice, lobsters and winkles near Sellafield, 2004-2016

Seafood monitoring results Caesium-137 Caesium-137 liquid discharge from Sellafield and concentrations in plaice, lobsters and winkles near Sellafield, 2004-2016 Plutonium-239+240 Plutonium-239+240 liquid discharge from Sellafield and concentrations in plaice, lobsters and winkles near Sellafield, 2004-2016

Seafood monitoring results Polonium-210 discharge from Whitehaven and concentration in winkles at Parton,1990-2016

Milk monitoring near Sellafield Discharges of gaseous wastes and monitoring of milk near Sellafield, 2004-2016

Contributions to total dose from all sources Total Dose (all major sources): 0.41 mSv per year Most exposed group: Seafood consumer (primarily sources other than Sellafield) Dose from Sellafield discharges 0.074 mSv per year Note: The highest total dose in 2013 due to Sellafield discharges was to people living on houseboats near Barrow in Cumbria

Comparing Doses 7 mSv Dose due to Sellafield discharges 0.074 mSv Total Dose for Sellafield 0.41 mSv (Highlighted area from ingestion)

Thank you for your attention Chris Thomas Radiological and Novel Foods Policy Tel: 020 7276 8728 Email: christopher.thomas@food.gov.uk Thank you for your attention Any Questions? Habits Survey Sellafield Review 2016: https://www.cefas.co.uk/umbraco/MDRPublicationsPlugin/PublicationSurface/file/18512 Radioactivity in Food and the Environment Report 2016 (RIFE 22): www.food.gov.uk/science/research/radiologicalresearch/radiosurv/rife