The Environmental radioactivity annual reports have reported on environmental radioactivity levels in the New Zealand and South Pacific region since 1960.
Monitoring was initially conducted for radioactive fallout from nuclear weapons tests in the northern hemisphere and then for fallout from the French nuclear weapons testing programme in the Tuamotu Archipelago. When the French atmospheric radiation testing programme was terminated in 1974, monitoring continued for residues from atmospheric tests and to detect any venting from the underground tests.
Latest report - 2022/2023
This report collates the results of the Monitoring Programme for the period 1 July 2022 to 30 June 2023. During the period of this report the activity concentrations detected by all monitoring regimes were well below those considered to constitute a radiological risk to human health.
Previous annual reports
Copies of previous reports are available from the Downloads section of this page.