|
Radioactive household goods |
|
|
People may be exposed to unnecessary risks from radio activity in millions of household goods because the government has failed to implement basic safety laws, the Sunday Herald can reveal. Loopholes in UK law have been exploited by companies to sell thousands of “glow in the dark” key rings that have been banned in other countries. The key rings contain the radioactive gas, tritium. Radioactive materials are used in a wide range of consumer products, including smoke alarms, fluorescent lights, clocks and compasses. They can also be found in gemstones, antique glassware and ceramic tiles. But a new report by the UK’s official radiation watchdog discloses how poorly these products are controlled. The UK, it points out, is the only country in the EU that has not introduced the regulatory regime required by a 1996 basic safety standards directive.
Sunday Herald 20th November 2005
|
Home 
Education, Health and Housing 
