The Environmental Radioactivity Unit (URA) is the federal agency responsible for coordinating the national environmental radioactivity monitoring programme. The annual sampling and measurement plan indicates which samples are to be taken and measured.
Sampling plan 2022
The monitoring covers the atmosphere, precipitation, water, soil, grass, milk, various foodstuffs (including game, mushrooms, wheat, etc.), the ambient dose rate, radioactivity in the human body, the vicinity of nuclear facilities and potential emission sources.
In addition to the sampling plan and in order to ensure a rapid reaction of the competent bodies in the event of an increase in radioactivity, monitoring is also based on automatic measurement and alarm networks (telematic data transmission).
In addition to the cantonal laboratories, other federal institutions and laboratories contribute to the monitoring of radioactivity in Switzerland.