Radiation negligible from subway X-ray machines: expert  

多地地铁常态化安检引仪器辐射担忧 调查称安全

目前，北京、上海等不少城市都实施地铁常态化安检。有人担心X射线安检仪的辐射对人体有害，称“每天被辐射一次，人的命都要短一天。”记者了解到，在一些因拒绝安检引起的纠纷中，有的乘客就称是“怕不安全”。 [查看全文]

(ECNS) -- An environmental expert has said that radiation from X-ray security scanners in subways poses no threat to passengers, according to the People's Daily on Friday.

The announcement comes amid rumors that passing the scanners every day will shorten life expectancy.

A field test was carried out at two subway stations in Chengdu, Sichuan province, to determine the amount of radiation emitted by the X-ray machines.

Results of the test showed that the machines are safe, as radiation is too low to pose health risks.

If a passenger passes the machine every day for a year, he will receive a dose of radiation reaching 0.007 mSv, which is lower than the safety standard of 1 mSv per person a year, the test concluded.

It is safe because most X-rays are sealed within the machines, said Zhou Runmin, an official at the municipal environmental protection agency in Chengdu.

"The machine's protective curtains block X-rays from escaping," Zhou added.

The test found that radiation around a subway X-ray machine reached its highest level when its protective curtain was lifted.

Passengers' luggage, food and water are safe to eat and drink after being screened, said Xiao Xuefu, a researcher at the China Institute of Atomic Energy.