Consumer Electronic Products

The following FAQ has been developed by our topic editors for this category:

Is Anything We Use in Everyday Life Radioactive?

The following HPS Web pages also address this category:

			AARST Granite Position Statement_8_04_2008
			Natural and Man-Made Radiation Sources
			Radiation from granite countertops

The following health physics questions have been answered by an expert and approved by our editors for inclusion in our "Ask the Experts" feature. Click on the question to see the answer.

Questions in this Category Are in the Following Subcategories:
•  Antiques and Radioactive Quack Cures
•  Electronic: TV, Computers
•  Smoke Detectors
•  Watches, Clocks, and other Glow-in-the-Dark
•  Radioactive Ceramics
•  Miscellaneous
Antiques and Radioactive Quack Cures
Q2076	–	Lamp made from x-ray machine
Q2750	–	Old portable x-ray machine
Electronic: TV, Computers
Q122	–	How much radiation does a 20" color monitor emit?
Q357	–	Eye problems from watching TV
Q409	–	Radiation from televisions
Q602	–	TVs and microwave ovens
Q1046	–	Rays from CRTs
Q1433	–	Flat-screen computer monitors
Q1666	–	Radiation from television
Q2021	–	Gap in TV case
Q2488	–	Flat-screen CRT displays
Q3257	–	Radiation from TV
Q3391	–	Sick from computer monitor
Q4646	–	Emissions from TVs
Q4757	–	Telephone/telegraph converter
Q5110	–	Radiation from television
Q6559	–	Hazards of 20-year-old TV
Smoke Detectors
Q946	–	Crushed smoke detector
Q1502	–	Can a smoke detector affect radon reading?
Q1638	–	Ionization-type smoke detectors
Q1896	–	Smoke detector
Q3460	–	Tampering with detector
Q3704	–	Americium in smoke alarm
Q4198	–	Water leaking through detector
Q4738	–	Americium smoke detector
Q5073	–	Removal of americium-241 from smoke detectors
Q5340	–	Inhaled dust
Q5926	–	Tongue on smoke detector battery
Q6454	–	House fire
Q6458	–	Can sweat release the americium?
Q6514	–	Disposing of smoke detector
Q7445	–	Concerns about americium-241 smoke detectors and their use
Q8036	–	Smoke detectors
Q8678	–	Smoke detector broke open
Q9737	–	Safety of smoke detectors
Watches, Clocks, and other Glow-in-the-Dark
Q334	–	Does a luminous disk contain radium-226?
Q1473	–	Phosphorescent decorations
Q1582	–	Glow-in-the-dark items
Q1673	–	Radium-dial watch
Q1697	–	Radium-dial watch
Q1796	–	Watches
Q1844	–	WW2 gauges
Q1959	–	Military clocks
Q2215	–	Uranium in teeth
Q2224	–	Light bulbs—tungsten filaments
Q2246	–	Gas mantles
Q2479	–	Omega watch
Q2969	–	Tritium watch
Q3302	–	Glow-in-the-dark watch
Q3311	–	Tritium in watch
Q3561	–	Luminous clock
Q3753	–	Cleanup of broken tritium sign
Q3757	–	Items at boutique
Q4837	–	Radium dials in military vehicles
Q5304	–	Fluorescent bulbs with promethium-147
Q5498	–	Glow-in-the-dark pillow slip
Q6125	–	Fluorescent tube light fixture
Q6450	–	Tritium, radium, or strontium
Q8054	–	Lady's wristwatch
Q8650	–	Older watches
Radioactive Ceramics
Q1583	–	Radioactivity in ceramics
Q1633	–	Doses from ceramics
Q3167	–	Eating off glazed pottery
Q3211	–	Old radioactive tiles
Q3433	–	Vaseline glass
Q5499	–	Antique aladdin alacite lamp
Q5705	–	Vaseline glass
Q7440	–	Radioactivity and dose limits due to ceramic tiles
Miscellaneous
Q376	–	Static field magnets used in medical therapy
Q410	–	Common household radiation sources
Q521	–	Need recycled sources
Q527	–	Tritium health risks
Q556	–	Airport scanning machines
Q574	–	Wood products and carbon-14
Q608	–	Consumer products that emit radiation
Q880	–	Activity limit in steel
Q894	–	Electron beam welders
Q1410	–	Radioactive material in magnets
Q1593	–	Welding rods
Q1979	–	Baggage x-ray device
Q3137	–	Doses from cigarette smoking
Q4669	–	Welded items
Q6962	–	Electromagnetic radiation inside car
Q8362	–	Irradiated gemstones
Q8460	–	Effects of radiation on hearing aids
Q8486	–	Safety of cell phones
Q8521	–	Dose to lungs from cigarettes
Q8971	–	RFID tags in clothing

The following websites may also be useful:

			Consumer Products (HPS)
			Electronic Product Radiation Control (FDA)
			Microwave Ovens (FDA)
			Smoke Detectors (EPA)
			Television Radiation (FDA)