SPOKANE, Wash. – March 30, 2011 – Spokane Regional Health District (SRHD) announced today that state and local agencies have been informed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that trace amounts of the radioactive isotope, Iodine-131, were detected in a screening sample of milk taken from Spokane on March 25, 2011. SRHD agrees with numerous agencies that it is not necessary that the public take any precautionary action. The miniscule amounts of radiation were detected as part of EPA monitoring nationwide and are nearly 5,000 times below what the FDA considers to be of public health concern.

It is important to note that these findings are to be expected in the coming days and, again, are far below levels of public health concern, including for infants and children. According to chief advisors for EPA and FDA, a pint of milk at these levels would expose an individual to less radiation than would a five hour airplane flight.

SRHD is following EPA’s recommendation to continue to coordinate closely with EPA, FDA and CDC. EPA will continue to communicate nationwide sampling results as they come in. SRHD will release any new information as it becomes available.

To read Governor Gregoire’s statement, please click here.

EPA: http://www.epa.gov/japan2011

FDA: http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/PublicHealthFocus/ucm247403.htm