May 5, 2006—The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is launching a new Web site that uses an animated town to provide basic information on radiation in the environment. RadTown USA is a virtual community showing the wide variety of radiation sources encountered in everyday life in common locations such as homes, schools, or offices.
A few of the potential sources of radiation exposure listed on the site include: industrial equipment such as moisture and density gauges; radiation-treated materials such as food and mail; radioactive waste from industrial processes that use radioactive materials or extract minerals from soil containing naturally occurring radiation; security devices like airport luggage screeners; military applications such as nuclear weapons; and more.
The information is organized in fact sheets, with links to additional information resources. Every fact sheet includes the types of radiation sources at the location, the roles that federal, state, and local governments play in protection and control, and normal steps that individuals can take to protect themselves.
