HEADLINES

Finland detects small amount of radioactivity, sees no health impact

Finland detected trace amounts of radioactive substances in the air, but authorities say there is no risk to public health, and the source remains unidentified.

Stine Jacobsen/Reuters

January 30, 2026

FILE PHOTO: A radioactive material hazard symbol, called a trefoil, is seen inside EDF Energy's Hinkley Point B nuclear power station in Bridgwater, southwest England December 13, 2012.

Suzanne Plunkett/Reuters

Small amounts of radioactive substances have been detected in air samples in Finland though there was no risk to public health, the country's nuclear safety watchdog said on Friday.

"The concentrations were very low and posed no risk to people or the environment," the Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority (STUK) said in a statement.

STUK said that the radioactive substances did not originate from Finnish nuclear power plants, though it did not offer an explanation for their detection.

"In many cases, the source of the radioactive substances cannot be identified," the agency said. Finland, Sweden, Russia and the wider region have a number of nuclear power reactors.

-Stine Jacobsen/Reuters