The level of radiation exposure in the thyroid glands of 1-year-old children living around the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant is estimated at less than 30 millisieverts in most cases, a research team at the National Institute of Radiological Sciences said Sunday.
The figure is lower than the 50 millisievert threshold that the International Atomic Energy Agency uses in calling for iodine to be taken to prevent exposure.
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It’s hard to understand why this is supposed to be reassuring. The ICRP (International Commission on Radiological Protection) recommends no more than 1 mSv/yr for the general public, no more than 50 mSv in a single year, 20 mSv average over 5 years for nuclear related workers.Here, we’re talking about the most sensitive population, under age 1. Moreover, the International Atomic Energy Agency, of course, is a major promoter of nuclear energy. These numbers have been repeated frequently since Fukushima.