Ionising Radiation

Ionising radiation causes the production of electrically charged particles, called ions, in the materials it strikes.

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:

• X-rays and gamma rays
• Alpha particles
• Beta particles
• Cosmic radiation
• 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 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.


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.