Chinese Expert:Tiny Radiation No Threat to Health

China's Ministry of Environmental Protection has reassured the public that the minute radioactive substances detected around China are nothing to worry about. Officials say the very tiny amount of radioactive iodine from Japan's troubled nuclear reactor does not pose a threat to China's environment and public health.

CRI's Wei Tong has more.

A researcher from China' Ministry of Environmental Protection says the radioactive iodine brought by a small current from northeastern Japan, were diluted before it reached China. Chen Xiaoqiu adds that now the radiation levels in the air is far less than the natural radiation from rocks, soil, buildings, food and the sunlight.

"The radiation is so low in the air, it is like adding only one tiny portion to the radiation that normally exists in the atmosphere. This tiny amount will not cause harm to the public health. We do not need to seek protective measures until we have received radiation amounting ten millisieverts within two days. The amount in the air is now far less than that."

Thanks to the up-to-date information and assurances from relevant agencies, many Chinese residents are not panic-stricken but they are keeping alert on any possible changes in the level of radiation in the air.

"At first I was a bit worried. Now I am so calm since the information from TV and newspaper shows there is no threat to the public health."

"We hope the government can continue to inform the public of the latest data on radiation. Moreover, we are expecting to be told how to do should an emergency happen."

Su Xu from China's Ministry of Public Health says China launched a nationwide radiation monitoring network to examine the environment and issue results immediately after Japan's nuclear crisis came to light.

"We have set up numerous stations all over the country to monitor the radiation in the air. Once radioactive substances are detected, we will inform the public at once. And we will update the results once a day."

Meanwhile, China's top quality watchdog has banned the import of dairy products, vegetables and seafood from several Japanese regions so as to ensure the food safety in China. The government is also supervising and monitoring the food and water quality across 14 provinces. Officials say so far, no contaminated food has yet been found.

For CRI, this is Wei Tong.