Sweden is utilizing its strong foraging culture to assess the levels of radioactive Cesium-137 in mushrooms, 38 years after the Chernobyl disaster. The Swedish Radiation Safety Authority is requesting mushroom-pickers to submit samples from this season's harvest for testing. This project aims to map Cesium-137 levels, as mushrooms can absorb this isotope from contaminated soil. The authority is specifically interested in data from foraged mushrooms, though pickers can keep their favorite collection spots private. Participants are instructed to send in specific amounts of fresh or dried mushrooms, but there's no timeline yet for when results will be available. The Chernobyl incident had widespread repercussions across Europe, with Swedish authorities being the first to detect fallout.
Fri, 06 Sep 2024 13:27:39 GMT | ABC News