The general objective of the OSPAR radioactive substances strategy is to prevent
pollution of the maritime area from ionising radiation through progressive and substantial
reductions of discharges, emissions and losses of radioactive substances, so that
concentrations in the environment are close to background for naturally occurring
radioactive substances and close to zero for artificial radioactive substances. The third
periodic evaluation of progress towards the objective of the OSPAR radioactive substances
strategy concludes that, due to issues concerning the availability of reported data, it is
not possible to come to firm conclusions as to whether the aims of the OSPAR radioactive
substances strategy are currently being delivered. However, in general there is an
indication of a reduction in average marine concentrations of selected radionuclides
associated with the nuclear industry, while doses arising from these selected
radionuclides in the OSPAR maritime area to humans are well within internationally
recommended limits and are below the lowest levels at which any effects are likely to
occur for marine biota.