Survey of the Radiological Impact of the Normal Transport of Radioactive Material by Air in the United Kingdom

The transport regulations published by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) form the basis for the regulation of the transport of radioactive materials in most countries, including the United Kingdom. The IAEA regulations include a requirement for competent authorities to arrange for periodic assessments of the radiological impact of the transport of radioactive materials. Over the last 30 years the regulatory authority in UK for the transport of radioactive material requested the Health Protection Agency and its predecessor, the National Radiological Protection Board, to carry out periodic assessments of the radiological impact of the transport of radioactive materials under normal conditions covering the three modes of transport (road and rail, sea and air). The latest in this series of assessments was commissioned in 2012 and covered the transport of radioactive materials by air from to and within the UK.