Finland and Estonia share information on environmental radiation in real time

New arrangements for the exchange of information between the radiation monitoring networks in Finland and Estonia were agreed in July 2024. The technical arrangements have now been made and information is automatically transferred between the countries. Both authorities now also receive an immediate alert if there is something abnormal about the radiation situation in the neighbouring country.

"If the measurement results were to show that something abnormal has happened, the new system would enable the investigation of the situation to be launched quickly on both sides of the Gulf of Finland," says Aapo Tanskanen, Principal Advisor at the Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority.

Teet Koitjärv, Adviser of the Climate and Radiation Department of the Estonian Environmental Board, reminds that information has already been shared between the Finnish and Estonian authorities so far. "However, the new system guarantees that information flows reliably and without delays around the clock,” he says. "If the radiation situation in the home or neighbouring country changes, the authorities will report it immediately."

Both Finland and Estonia have nationwide radiation monitoring networks. Environmental radiation is monitored at 255 locations in Finland and at 15 locations in Estonia.

Radiation measurement data for the European region is also available in the European Union’s EURDEP system (European Radiological Data Exchange Platform). However, it is not an alarm system and does not operate fully in real time.