Norway reports increase in radiation on border with Russia

Norway has registered a sharp increase in radiation levels on its border with Russia.

Traces of Cesium-137 have been found, which may be due to reactor start-up or maintenance, as well as handling of spent nuclear fuel.

The levels are above normal but pose no risk to people or the environment: Norway’s Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority (DSA) says the amount of Cesium-137 found in the filters is “very low”.

“The levels are clearly higher than normal, but do not pose a risk to people or the environment,” Bredo Möller of the DSA’s emergency preparedness department stressed to the Barents Observer.

In his words, the agency will carry out additional analyzes in the next few days.

It is explained that the appearance of radioactive cesium-137 was observed between September 9 and 12.

The Kremlin said on Wednesday that Russian services had not issued any alerts on higher levels of radiation in the atmosphere after Norway said it detected elevated levels of radioactive caesium (Cs-137) near the Arctic border with Russia.

The Norwegian Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority (DSA) said in a statement on Tuesday it had measured “very low” levels of radioactive caesium at Svanhovd and Viksjoefjell near the Arctic border with Russia.

The authority detected elevated levels of radioactive caesium (Cs-137) at Svanhovd during the period from Sept. 9-16 and at Viksjoefjell from Sept. 5-12, but the levels didn’t pose a risk to humans or the environment, it added.

Asked about the statement Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: “There were no warnings from our relevant services about an increased level of certain isotopes in the atmosphere, there were no warnings about threats to human health either, so I have nothing to say here.”