The setting of controls of radioactive waste discharges from the major nuclear sites in England is a statutory responsibility of the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food acting jointly with the Chief Inspector of Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Pollution, within the terms of the Radioactive Substances Act 1960 as amended by the Environmental Protection Act 1990. MAFF's technical responsibilities under the Act are divided between the Food Safety (Radiation) Unit, which is responsible for terrestrial exposure pathways, and the Fisheries Radiological inspectorate, which is responsible for aquatic exposure pathways. Both groups operate in a similar way and their work can be considered to fall into four main areas. First, the discharge routes, important isotopes, exposure pathways and doses to the public are considered. Second, the adequacy of discharge controls is monitored of the inspection of plant operations and site records, and by MAFF's supervision of an environmental monitoring programme by the polluter. Third, an independent 'check' monitoring programme is carried out on the environmental impact of discharges. Fourth, there is a complementary research programme involving specific projects designed to support monitoring and assessments methodology.