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Ionising radiation may be man made, medical x-rays for
example, or naturally occurring, such as radon gas.
There are different types of ionising radiation:
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X-rays and gamma rays
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Alpha particles
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Beta particles
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Cosmic radiation
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Neutrons
Ionising radiation is significant because it can cause changes
in living tissue and so has the ability to cause health effects.
Exposure to man-made ionising radiation from medical and industrial
activity is closely controlled, however, and only represents a
small part of our total exposure to radiation.
Radioactive Materials Register: A number of premises in
Newham store or use small amounts of radioactive materials;
examples include Americium 241 used in smoke detectors and Polonium
210 used in dust detection and anti-static devices.
All premises containing radioactive materials in the borough are
registered with the Environment Agency (EA) under the Radioactive
Substances Act 1993. As part of the registration, the premises will
only be allowed to hold stipulated amounts of radioactive material,
under stipulated conditions. The EA is obliged to send copies of
documentation associated with registration to the Pollution Control
Unit. All documentation is kept on file and can be viewed by
members of the public, by appointment. Further details are
available from Pollution Control Unit on 020 8430 2000
(x25255) or
pollution.inquiry@newham.gov.uk.
Radon:
Radon gas is responsible for half of the radiation exposure in the
UK and is therefore a radiation source that many individuals are
concerned about. The gas is produced from the decay of uranium,
naturally present in rocks and building materials. The gas can
accumulate within buildings and can then be inhaled; however in the
open air it is diluted to low levels.
Areas at risk within the UK are mainly those where the
underlying rock is granite, or where granite is used in
construction. The underlying stratum within Newham is a mixture of
alluvium, gravels and chalk and therefore the exposure to radon
from this source is minimal. This is supported by a survey carried
out by the then National Radiological Protection Board (NRPB) in
1995, where 5 properties in Newham produced an average of 17
Becqurels (Bq) m-3. A similar survey of 6 properties in
1997 produced an average of 15 Bqm-3, with a high value
recorded in E6 of 30 Bq m-3. Newham falls into the
category of having 'less than 1% of homes which are above the
government action level of 200 Bq m-3'.
The Radiation
Protection Division of the Health Protection Agency offers a
service that calculates the radon potential for an individual
property or confirms whether or not the property is within a
radon-affected area. Find out more, including how to order their
service, on the HPA's Radon in the Home web page. You can also call
them on 01235 822622.
Radiation Monitoring
The London Borough of Newham is a member of the London Wide
Radiation Monitoring Group (LWRMG). LWRMG is made up of London
Boroughs that contribute to a scheme to monitor background levels
of radiation in response to the widespread concerns expressed by
people in local communities following the Chernobyl incident in
1986.
In addition to membership of LWRMG routine radiation monitoring
has recently been implemented in Newham. The results of the
monitoring do not show elevated radioactivity and are within
recommended guidelines, the results are not cause for concern.
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