Research and analysis

Radioactive materials: transport in the UK, 2011 review

This report (HPA-CRCE-037) describes accidents and incidents involving transport of radioactive materials to, from, or within the UK in 2011.

Documents

HPA-CRCE-037: radiological consequences resulting from accidents and incidents involving the transport of radioactive materials in the UK, 2011 review

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Details

This report includes descriptions of 38 accidents and incidents involving the transport of radioactive materials from, to, or within the United Kingdom, which occurred in 2011. The number of events reported in 2011 was higher than in 2010 (30 events), and near the top of the range of the number of events that have occurred in the last 5 year period:

  • 30 events in 2010
  • 33 events in 2009
  • 39 events in 2008
  • 26 events in 2007
  • 29 events in 2006

Of the 38 events included in this review, 11 involved irradiated nuclear fuel flasks (there were also 8 such events in 2010). Only 1 of the events reported, involving the transport of a radiopharmaceutical source, resulted in any potentially significant radiation dose.

The details of these events have been entered into the Radioactive Material Transport Event Database (RAMTED), which now contains information on 1018 events that are known to have occurred since 1958.

Published 1 August 2012