Science News
Radioactive traces in Europe have not subsided, IAEA says
Nov 16, 2011, 18:06 GMT
Vienna - Six European countries have continued to measure radioactive traces in recent days, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said Wednesday, indicating that an unknown facility has not stopped emitting radiation.
'The IAEA continues to be in contact with several European countries to try and determine the cause and origin of the iodine-131,' said the Vienna-based agency, after having been first informed about the problem on Friday.
It said there is no health risk from the traces of the radioactive element, which have been detected in the atmosphere over the Czech Republic, Austria, Slovakia, Germany, Sweden, France and Poland.
People are exposed to a dose of natural radiation from the environment every year that is 24,000 higher than the one measured recently, according to the nuclear agency.
