Don’t pick up, disassemble, or sell unidentified metal parts; stay away from areas marked with a clover warning sign

No cost at all. If you see unfamiliar metal cylinders, lead containers, or parts removed from equipment, simply steer clear — don’t pick them up, take them apart, or put them in your pocket.

As of 2025, there are about 178,000 active radioactive sources and 355,000 radiation devices in use across the country. The annual accident rate for radioactive sources remains below 1 per 10,000. Classification of incidents is as follows: loss, theft, or uncontrolled release of Class I or II sources constitutes a major radiation accident; Class III sources lead to a relatively serious accident. Loss or theft of Class IV or V sources, or exposure of people to radiation exceeding annual dose limits, counts as a minor accident. Official example: In June 2020, a γ-ray inspection was performed during pipeline renovation at a blast furnace plant run by Ningxia Iron and Steel Group. A Class II iridium-192 source exposed three workers to radiation. Chen suffered third-degree acute radiation skin damage on his left hand; Liu sustained fourth-degree damage on his thumb and index finger, and third-degree damage on his middle, ring, and little fingers. Fan had first- to second-degree damage on his left hand. All three received radiation doses far exceeding national limits; both responsible companies had their radiation safety licenses revoked and were fined 70,000 yuan. International example: In 1987, a radiotherapy machine was dismantled at an abandoned clinic in Goiânia, Brazil; a 50.8 TBq cesium-137 source was removed and its protective casing broken. Around 112,000 people were monitored, and 249 showed internal or external contamination. Of these, 129 had moderate to severe contamination, and 50 required close medical monitoring. Ultimately, 4 people died. (National / International)

生态环境部 (2025). 2024 中国生态环境状况公报. https://www.mee.gov.cn/ywgz/sthjjcgl/hjzljcypj/202506/t20250605_1120773.shtml；国家核安全局 (2026). 2025 年我国核与辐射安全监管工作成效. https://nnsa.mee.gov.cn/tpxw/202601/t20260107_1140062.html；生态环境部 (2021). 关于一起 γ 射线探伤作业违法违规造成辐射事故案件处理情况的通报. https://www.mee.gov.cn/xxgk2018/xxgk/xxgk06/202101/t20210121_818216.html；国务院 (2019). 放射性同位素与射线装置安全和防护条例（2019 年修订，第三十四、四十二、六十八条）. https://www.mee.gov.cn/ywgz/fgbz/xzfg/201909/t20190918_734315.shtml；环境保护部 (2009). 关于建立放射性同位素与射线装置辐射事故分级处理和报告制度的通知（辐射事故分级标准）. https://www.mee.gov.cn/gkml/zj/wj/200910/t20091022_172414.htm；International Atomic Energy Agency (1988). The Radiological Accident in Goiânia. IAEA, Vienna. https://www-pub.iaea.org/MTCD/Publications/PDF/Pub815_web.pdf

If you ever encounter such a source, stay far away, note its location, do not move it, and call 110 immediately. Laws require reporting to environmental protection, public security, and health authorities. Distance and time are the only effective protections — putting something in a pocket or plastic bag offers zero protection. Devices like X-ray machines and CT scanners that generate radiation only when powered do not retain any radioactivity after being turned off; the real danger comes from the sealed radioactive source inside them. Radiotherapy machines in hospitals, γ-ray inspection devices on pipelines and boilers, well logging tools, and level gauges all contain such sources. Disassembling their outer casings exposes these sources, which look identical to ordinary metal parts. Therefore, the rule is not “identify radioactive sources” but “never disassemble, sell, or take home any unidentified equipment parts.” Workers in scrap recycling, dismantling, hardware, and construction face far higher risks; if you see a warning zone marked with a clover symbol on a construction site, steer clear. This guidance applies only to uncontrolled radioactive sources, not to nuclear power plant leaks, which the general public is far less likely to encounter. The main beneficiaries of following these rules are you and anyone else present at the scene.