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Environmental health
Radon
Radon is becoming a more widely documented gas. Property searches undertaken by the local authorities of behalf of property purchasers are becoming more intensive and aspects such as radon are now included as a standard search question.
Radon itself is a naturally occurring radioactive gas, which can enter buildings through the ground and is measured in units of 'Bequerels per cubic metre of air' (Bq m-3). Health studies have indicated a link between exposure to radon and an increased risk of lung cancer. The National Radiological Protection Board (NRPB) has recommended that where radon levels within a property exceed 200 Bq m-3 the householders should take action to reduce radon to as low as is reasonably practicable.
The information provided by the NRPB indicates that, according to the NRPB atlas of estimated radon levels, Adur District is within an area where between 1% and 3% of dwellings may be above the Action Level. This is the equivalent of 160 to 470 properties.
The actual level of radon within a dwelling can be measured for a small cost by the NRPB, which involves detectors being placed within the property for at least three months. The NRPB advises that all of the dwellings actually tested for radon in the Adur District have been below the Action Level.
For more information, or an information pack, please contact Environmental Support.
On external websites :
- Health Protection Agency (HPA) website : Radon Map of England and Wales (www.hpa.org.uk/webw/HPAweb&HPAwebStandard/HPAweb_C/1195733749409?p=1158934607718)
- UK Radon website (www.ukradon.org)
- BRE website - currently unavailable - but you could try cutting and pasting the URL to try it out (www.bre.co.uk/radon/index.html)
