Icelandic Radiation Safety Authority
Results from the Icelandic Radiation Safety Authority’s environmental monitoring measurements for the years 2016–2020 now published
9th December 2025
Systematic monitoring of radioactivity in the environment in Iceland began in the late 1980s, with emphasis on regular measurements of radioactive cesium (Cs-137) in foodstuffs and the environment. The Icelandic Radiation Protection Agency is now publishing the results from measurements carried out in the years 2016–2020.
Long-term monitoring provides valuable information that shows the temporal development of Cs-137 concentration in the Icelandic environment and food chain. Cs-137 has been systematically measured in air, precipitation, cow's milk (fresh and powdered), lamb, sea water, seaweed and fish.
The results show that the annual averages of Cs-137 in all measured media are constantly decreasing. All the measured concentrations in foodstuffs are well below the Icelandic regulatory limits, and Cs-137 concentration in Icelandic seawater is well below international reference levels.
The report is accessible in Icelandic and English in pdf format.