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Shanghai’s radiation security scanners potentially dangerous, and illegal

Metro’s X-ray machines are ‘illegal’ English east Day.com, from Shanghai News, 11 Oct 11 ALL 528 X-ray security inspection machines in Shanghai’s Metro stations are “illegal devices” operating without radiation safety licenses, officials with the city’s environmental protection bureau said yesterday.

“None of the X-ray machines in the Metro stations has gone through an environment impact assessment to get a radiation safety license as the law requires, which means they are all illegal devices in operation,” said Chen Jiliang, deputy director of the radiation inspection department under the Shanghai Environmental Protection Bureau…..

Radiation experts told the Southern Metropolis Daily that without the assessments and licenses, the X-ray machines, which were meant to ensure safer journeys for Metro passengers, were posing hidden dangers of excessive radiation and emissions of ozone and nitric oxide that may affect air quality.

Environmental assessments of the machines would include an inspection of their working environment, the impact of their radiation, the training of workers and protective measurements to meet emergencies.

The machines must go through all the assessments before they can be licensed and put into use, Chen said….

At East Nanjing Road Station, passengers expressed concern about radiation leaks after hearing the machines were operating illegally.

“I hope the operators can give us a clear response whether the machines are illegally operating or not,” said a passenger surnamed Wang. “If they prove to be illegal, I don’t think I should risk my health passing my handbags through them.”

But Chen said that passengers need not worry about radiation as long as they didn’t put their hands into the machines.

October 11, 2011 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | China, safety