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27/11/2009 -

The Facts About Radon – Public Information Meeting on 8th December


Sligo County Council, in collaboration with the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland (RPII), will hold a public information meeting on radon on Tuesday 8th December, 2009, at 7.30pm. The meeting will be held at County Hall, Riverside, Sligo, and will be chaired by the Cathaoirleach of Sligo County Council, Councillor Gerry Murray.

Radon is a naturally-occurring radioactive gas that is linked to some 200 lung cancer deaths in Ireland each year.  Because radon has no smell, taste or colour, people cannot tell if they have it in their homes without measuring for it.

According to Mr. David Fenton, Manager of Radon Advice at the RPII, “Much of County Sligo is designated as a High Radon Area. To date we have measured in excess of 1,400 homes in Sligo and found that nearly one in four homes are above the acceptable level. People living in these homes are at increased risk of developing lung cancer and we therefore urge householders in County Sligo to test their homes for radon gas.”

Mr Fineen O’Driscoll, Senior Engineer in Sligo County Council’s Environmental Services Section said that “Radon is an important issue and we are delighted to work with the RPII to help raise awareness of the issue locally”.

Special detectors are needed to test for radon: one is placed in a bedroom and a second in a living-room for a three-month period. The detectors are small and can be sent and returned by post for analysis. The RPII and a number of private companies provide a radon measurement service. The cost of a measurement is between €40 and €80.

If high radon concentrations are found, reducing the levels is normally straightforward and can usually be done at moderate cost. The RPII have published guidance aimed at householders, advising them of the various options open to them in reducing radon concentrations in the home.

The RPII has redeveloped its website (www.rpii.ie) so that anyone can now search for their address on an interactive Radon Map to see whether their home or workplace is in an area predicted to have high radon levels. They can find out what they need to know about radon – what it is, why it is a problem and how they can have a measurement made. Information can also be obtained on Freefone 1800 300 600.


Radon Detector

Radon is the second biggest cause of lung cancer in Ireland – causing up to 200 deaths per year. Over 100,000 homes and workplaces throughout Ireland are thought to have radon levels above the acceptable limit.
 
Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that originates from the decay of uranium in rocks and soils. It has no smell, colour or taste and can only be detected using special detectors. Outdoors radon quickly dilutes to harmless concentrations, but when it enters an enclosed space, such as a house or other building, it can accumulate to unacceptably high concentrations. This gives rise to a radiation dose, which may cause lung cancer.
 
The national Reference Level for radon in homes is 200 becquerels per cubic metre (Bq/m3). The Becquerel is the unit of radioactivity.
 
Radon is a Class-1 carcinogen. Long-term exposure to radon increases the risk of lung cancer. Based on current knowledge, it is estimated that in Ireland, for the population as a whole, a lifetime exposure (i.e. 70 years) to radon in the home at the Reference Level of 200 Bq/m3 carries a risk of about 1 in 50 of contracting fatal lung cancer. This is approximately twice the risk of death in a road accident. Radon is linked to approximately 200 lung cancer deaths in Ireland every year. For people who smoke, or who have smoked, the risk from radon is considerably greater than for people who never smoked.
 
 
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