Radioactive Releases from Nuclear Power Plants During Normal Operation - The Risks of Nuclear Energy Technology - page 85

Table 4.4 Mean effective radiation dose to the population from man-made radiation sources,
e.g. in the Federal Republic of Germany during the year 2008 [ 12 , 13 ]
2. Radiation exposure from man-made sources mSv/year

2.1 Fallout from nuclear weapons tests < 0.01

2.2 Effects from the accident at Chernobyl 0.012

2.3 Nuclear installations < 0.01

2.4 Use of radioactive substances and ionizing radiation in medicine ~1.9

Diagnostic nuclear medicine ~0.1

2.5 Use of radioactive substances and ionizing radiation in research and technology < 0.01

Total of man-made radiation exposures ~1.9

4.4.3 Nuclear Installations

The emission of radioactive substances from nuclear power plants, uranium enrich-
ment plants and fuel fabrication plants, e.g. in Germany contributes only insignif-
icantly to the radiation exposure of the population. The upper values for exposures
to individuals, calculated in accordance with the “General Administrative Guide-
line relating to §47 of the German Radiation Protection Ordinance” [ 14 ] are clearly
below the required limits (Sect. 4.6.1 ). The annual contribution from domestic
nuclear installations and other installations located close to the German borders
to the mean effective dose to the population of the Federal Republic of Germany
remained below 0.01 mSv in 2008 and 2009 [ 12 , 13 ].
Radiation exposures by spent fuel reprocessing plants in Europe are given in [ 3 ].

4.4.4 Medical Applications

The major part of the mean effective population dose from man-made radiation
exposure is caused by medical applications of radioactive substances and ionizing
radiation (thyroid and skeletal scintigraphy, X-ray diagnostics, computer tomogra-
phy, positron emission-tomography). It amounted to ~1.9 mSv/year, e.g. in Germany
in 2008 [ 12 , 13 ].

4.4.5 The Handling of Radioactive Substances in Research
and Technology

The use of ionizing radiation and radioactive substances for technological and
research purposes lead to a mean contribution to the effective population exposure,
e.g. in Germany of less than 0.01 mSv in 2008 [ 12 , 13 ].