Radiological environmental impact of the nuclear industry in China

Since 1955, the nuclear industry has become a comprehensive industrial system in China, for which the radiological impact assessment began in 1981. Within 80 km region of each facility, investigation of population distribution, crop distribution, and food consumption has been made. Meteorological, hydrological, and geological data as well as effluent and environmental monitoring data have been obtained and analyzed. All the calculations were performed through the Y3001 computer code. The effective dose equivalents to all the critical groups near the region nuclear facilities are below the dose limits. The dose to about 80% of the critical groups are less than 1/10 of those caused by natural radiation exposure (2.3 mSv y-1). The total annual average collective effective dose equivalent resulting form the nuclear industry as a whole is 23 person Sv y-1, which is less than 0.01% of that from natural radiation and far below the detriment resulting from non-nuclear industries or other human activities. According to the nuclear industry planning in China, by about the year 2000, it is estimated that the total annual collective effective dose equivalent resulting from the nuclear industry would be 59 person Sv. 18 refs., 3 figs., 29 tabs