Key Facts about: Radioactivity
Artificial sources of radioactivity
A number of society's activities involve the use of radioactive materials. These artificial sources of radiation are:
- medical - for example x-rays
- occupational - to workers in certain industries using radioactive materials or working down mines, for example
- fallout - from the testing of nuclear weapons in the 1950s and 1960s and from major accidents to nuclear plants, like Chernobyl
- consumer products - those that contain radioactive materials like smoke detectors
- discharges - from nuclear power plants and industries using radioactive materials
Radiation from artificial sources is estimated to account for less than 15 per cent of the total annual average dose to the UK population; almost all of this dose is from medical sources.
The annual average dose is estimated to be around 0.4 millisieverts (mSv). By law, in the UK, individual doses from artificial sources, excluding medical procedures, must be below 1 mSV per year.
In Detail:
- Artificial sources of radiation:
- Medical
- Fallout
- Occupational
- Products
- Exposure to the public through discharges from nuclear installations
- Exposure from atmospheric effluents
- Exposure form liquid effluents
- RIMNET
Further Information:
- Source:
- National Radiological Protection Board
- Key Facts:
- Sources
- Artificial Sources:
- Medical,
- Fallout,
- Occupational,
- Products,
- Discharges from the nuclear industry,
- Direct shine
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Page last modified: 16 September 2003
Page published: 10 September 2003