Radiological environmental quality assessment of the nuclear industry in China over the past 30 years and its prediction

The radiological assessment in China began in 1981. Up to the extent of 80 km from each facility, investigation of population, crop distribution and food spectrum has been made. Meteorological, hydrological and geological data as well as the effluents and environment monitoring data have been obtained and analysed. The calculation was performed with Y3001 computer code. According to the calculation results, the effective dose equivalents to all the critical groups near to the nuclear facilities are below the dose limits. The doses to about 80% of the critical groups are less than 1/10 of those caused by annual natural radiaion (2.5 mSv a-1). The total annual average collective effective dose equivalent resulted from the whole nuclear industry in 23 man·Sv/a, which is less than 0.01% of that from natural radiation and far below that dose resulted from non-nuclear industries or other human activities. According to the program for developing nuclear industry in China, by the year of 2000, it is estimated that the total annual collective effective dose equivalent resulted from the whole nuclear industry is 60 man·Sv