Print | Need Larger Text? | Share

Description - Figure 1.1 - Average Annual Radiation Dose to Canadians (Average Total Dose of 2.62 mSv per year)

The total average annual radiation dose to Canadians is 2.62 millisieverts per year. This can be attributed to several sources. The contributions are as follows: Cosmic rays 11.4 percent or 0.3 millisieverts per year; gamma rays from soil and rock 13.3 percent or 0.35 millisieverts per year; internal sources of radiation 13.3 percent or 0.35 millisieverts per year; inhalation of radon progeny 38.1 percent or 1.0 millisieverts per year; medical diagnosis 22.9 percent or 0.6 millisieverts per year; nuclear power and fallout 0.1 percent of 0.002 millisieverts per year; and miscellaneous sources 0.8 percent or 0.02 millisieverts per year.