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been
Health Effects
Detailed studies of the radiological consequences of the accident have
conducted by the NRC, the Environmental Protection Agency, theDepartment
of Health, Education and Welfare (now Health and Human Services), theindependent
Department of Energy, and the State of Pennsylvania. Several
studies have also been conducted. Estimates are that the averagethe
dose to about 2
million people in the area was only about 1 millirem. To put this into
context, exposure from a chest x-ray is about 6 millirem. Compared to
natural radioactive background dose of about 100-125 millirem perabout
year for the
area, the collective dose to the community from the accident was very
small. The maximum dose to a person at the site boundary would
have been less
than 100 millirem.
In the months following the accident, although questions were raised
possible adverse effects from radiation on human, animal, and plant lifein
the TMI area, none could be directly correlated to the accident.soil, and
Thousands of environmental samples of air, water, milk, vegetation,
foodstuffs were collected by various groups monitoring the area. Verylow
levels of radionuclides could be attributed to releases from theaccident.
However, comprehensive investigations and assessments by severalhad
well-respected
organizations have concluded that in spite of serious damage to the
reactor, most of the radiation was contained and that the actual release
negligible effects on the physical health of individuals or theenvironment.