General Situation

The Quality of National Radioactive Environment According to the monitoring results of the National Radioactive Environmental Monitoring Network in 2005, the atmospheric absorption rate of γ radiation in some provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions under monitoring was within the fluctuation range of the average baseline value of the natural radioactivity.

The radon concentration in the atmosphere of such cities as Beijing, Baotou, Nanjing, Nanning, Harbin, Chongqing and Urumqi was between 2.8 ~164.8 Bq/m³, which was generally the same as the monitoring results of previous years. The indoor radon concentration was lower than the National Standards for the Control of Indoor Radon Concentration. The total α and β radiation of aerosol in cities like Shanghai and Urumqi maintained normal level.

Atmospheric Absorption Dose Rate of γ Radiation in Selected Provinces and Municipalities in 2005

The Radioactive Environment of Pollution Sources  In 2005, the Zhejiang-based Qinshan Nuclear Power Base and Guangdong-based Dayawan and Ling'ao Nuclear Power Plants were all under safe and normal operation. According to relevant monitoring results, the concentration of total α, total β and γ radioactive elements of aerosol in the surrounding environment of Zhejiang-based Qinshan Nuclear Power Base and Guangdong-based Dayawan and Ling'ao Nuclear Power Plants and the specific activity of total β in the atmospheric sediments were all within the fluctuations of the baseline value.

The specific activity of radionuclide in the well water of surrounding areas and offshore seawater of Qinshan Nuclear Power Base saw no abnormal situation. The specific radioactivity of total α and total β in drinking water was both lower than relevant national standard regarding domestic drinking water quality and met drinking requirements. Apart from ²³⁸U, ²³²Th, ²²⁶Ra and ⁴⁰K of natural radionuclide γ, only ¹³⁷Cs of artificial radionuclide γ was found during the monitoring of the soil, soil of intertidal zone and sea and pond sediment samples of its surrounding environment. The concentration of the radionuclide saw no substantial change compared with the baseline value before the operation of the nuclear power plant. In addition, the concentration of other artificial radionuclide was all below the minimum detection level at the same level of the control point.

In 2005, the monitoring results of tritium level of the surrounding environment of Qinshan Nuclear Power Base showed that the concentration of rain tritium and tritium gas in particular monitoring sites was higher than the pre-operation baseline value. The monthly average concentration of tritium in the air was 379.2mBq/m3·air, and the monthly average concentration of rain tritium reached 10.1Bq/L at the monitoring site of Xiajiawan. The specific activity of water tritium in its surrounding lakes and ponds was higher than the monitoring value of the control point and the baseline value before operation, the specific activity of tritium in the seawater of the discharging outlet of Qinshan No. 3 Nuclear Power Plant was higher than that of the sampling outlet for certain periods of time, the annual accumulative tritium discharge volume of radioactive air pollutants for the Qinshan Nuclear Power Base was lower than the target value for management, and the additional doze caused to the public was also below the limit value of relevant national standard.

In the western Daya Bay sea area, the concentration of tritium in seawater was 13Bq/L, higher than the baseline value, while the concentration level of other artificial radionuclide all fell into the fluctuation range of the baseline value. The key nuclide ^110mAg discharged from the nuclear power plant was detected in the aquatic sample of fresh oyster with the content of 0.04Bq/kg, down by certain degree compared with that of the previous year.

The Electromagnetic Radiation Sources The monitoring results showed that the electromagnetic radiation level of the surrounding buildings and at the environmentally sensitive points near most mobile communications base stations met national Regulations for Electromagnetic Radiation Protection (GB8702-1988), except those building roofs where the antenna of a number of mobile communications base stations were set up. The electromagnetic radiation of certain sensitive points near 110 KV power transmission lines exceeded national standard, and the electromagnetic radiation near some 500 KV high-voltage power transmission lines exceeded national standards. In addition, the electromagnetic radiation at such sensitive points as around some radio and television broadcasting facilities failed to meet the above national standard.

Countermeasures and Actions

【Laws and Regulations on Nuclear Safety and Management】 Enacted by the State Council on October 4, 2005, the Regulation on the Safety and Protection of Radiation Isotope and Radiating Apparatus was put into effect from December 1^st of the same year.

【Safety Supervision and Management of Radioactive Sources】 In 2005, a total of 12 stealing incidents of radioactive sources were reported across the country, among which 3 were identified as major incidents (namely the July 13 Incident in Heilongjiang; the incident of iridium-192 flaw detection sources loss in Shanghai and the incident of iridium-192 flaw detection sources loss in Jilin) and 9 were normal ones. As a result, all of the lost or stolen hazardous sources were back, and only one case of death occurred in the July 13 Incident throughout the year. The overall situation of radioactive safety saw remarkable improvement than the previous year.

In 2005, 400 times of import and export of radioactive sources and unsealed radioactive substances were approved after examination with the import of over 3,000 radioactive sources including 1422 Co-60, 509 Cs-137, 340 Po-210 and 104 Am-241 respectivelythrough the whole year.

Also in 2005, 11 units received the radioactivity safety permits after going through relevant examination procedures, and the EIA documents of 6 construction projects involving the application of nuclear technology all completed the review work by relevant experts.

【Special Action on the Prevention and Control of Radioactive Pollution from the metallurgy of Uranium Mines】 In 2005, the Special Action on the Prevention and Control of Radioactive Pollution from Uranium Mining and Metallurgy Facilitieswas launched in 14 major provinces having uranium metallurgical facilities. Through relevant reporting and registration as well as careful investigation, the basic situation uranium mining and metallurgy industry in China was understood, together with the problems left over by past practice and other illegal exploration activities. In addition, relevant requirements for the treatment and correction within a given period of time were put forward to institutions and enterprises not having gone through all the procedures regarding EIA, lacking complete set of treatment facilities of the three wastes or required monitoring instruments or not having fully implemented the prevention and protection measures against radiation. All the above had effectively promoted the development of the prevention and control of radioactive pollution from the mining and metallurgy facilities of uranium mines.

【Monitoring and Emergency Response of Radioactive Environment in China】 With the successive operation of the Radiation Monitoring Technical Center and the Nuclear and Radiation Accident Emergency Response Technical Center under SEPA, 31 Class I Radiation Monitoring Stations (of various provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities) and 2 Class II Stations (of Baotou and Qingdao City) across the country, a nationwide radioactive environment monitoring network was established, thus upgrading the supervisory monitoring of key radiation pollution sources as well as the discharged pollutants. The Environmental Protection Bureaus of most provinces and municipalities set up their respective emergency response teams, compiled relevant emergency response plan and carried out prompt radioactive environment monitoring following the occurrence of radioactive pollution accidents caused by the loss of radioactive sources, offering timely and effective support to the treatment of such pollution accidents.