New Zealand - is it really nuclear free?

New Zealand has a relatively strong anti-nuclear public policy. Coincidentally, it tends to have somewhat lower than average contents of the radioactive elements potassium (K), uranuim (U) and thorium (Th) in some of its rocks, its coals and soils, and also lower fallout. However, our plant-derived products may contain, if anything, probably slightly higher than world average levels of radioactive elements, because of application of imported fertilisers. We live on an island surrounded by low-radon oceanic air, hence our radon levels are also unusually low. Another consequence of our anti-nuclear policy is that we do not have nuclear facilities such as research reactors, relatively common even in laboratories of the third world. Thus, New Zealand tends to be a relatively low-radiation environment. (author). 27 refs., 3 tabs., 2 figs