The NERC Coordinating Group on Environmental Radioactivity (COGER) originated as an internal NERC organisation, but for the last 14 years has acted as the focus for interactions between the academic and research communities in the field. The main activity of COGER is an annual open meeting, held in an informal manner and covering a wide range of research areas concerned with environmental radioactivity. The last meeting was held at the University of Aberdeen, 30 August - 1 September 1995, attended by 65 delegates and was characterised by particularly lively and interactive discussion sessions. As usual, the presentations covered many relevant topics, ranging from medical effects of radioactivity to pathways of radionuclides in the marine and terrestrial environments, and including new developments in analytical techniques. Since 1989, the meeting has included the COGER lecture, given by a prominent outside speaker, followed by the convivial COGER dinner. On this occasion, the lecture was given by an old friend of COGER, Professor Oscar Vanderboight of the University of Antwerp. Oscar gave a stimulating and provocative talk on 'Radioecology: is there a future for the past?', which highlighted the importance of maintaining large research and training programmes, both nationally and internationally in the field, where interest has fallen to some extent since its zenith after the Chernobyl accident 10 years ago. He drew attention notably to the potential for a further serious accident involving reactors in eastern Europe, but also the enormous problem of radioactive contamination both there and in the USA, arising from past military and civil activities.

Dave Horrill resigned from the post of COGER secretary, which he had performed so ably and enthusiastically for many years, on his retirement last summer from ITE, Merlewood. The new secretary is Marian Scott, of the University of Glasgow. This change in secretary has coincided with COGER receiving a delegated budget from NERC headquarters. The COGER committee is taking a fresh look at COGER's activities, with the aim of being more proactive in advising NERC on matters of environmental radioactivity, including priority research requirements. On this matter, the COGER chairman recently provided advice to NERC to incorporate into its response to a request from a government Panel on Sustainable Development for guidance on priorities for research into disposal of radioactive waste.