Preventing excessive radon exposure in U.K. housing

Conference · Wed Dec 30 23:00:00 EST 1992

OSTI ID:45177

Miles, J C.H.; Cliff, K D; Green, B M.R.; Dixon, D W ^[1]

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1. National Radiological Protection Board, Chilton, Oxon (United Kingdom)

In the United Kingdom (UK) it has been recognized for some years that some members of the population received excessive radiation exposure in their homes from radon and its decay products. To prevent such exposures, an Action Level of 400 Bq m{sup -3} was adopted in 1987. In January, 1990, the National Radiological Protection Board (NRPB) advised that the Action Level should be reduced to 200 Bq m{sup -3}, and this advice was accepted by the Government. It is estimated that exposures in up to 100,000 UK homes exceed this Action Level; this amounts to about 0.5% of the available housing. The UK authorities have developed a strategy for preventing such exposures: (1) Areas in which it is estimated that >1% of homes exceed the Action Level for radon are being designated as Affected Areas, and a program to map such areas is under way. Households in these areas are advised to have radon measurements made by NRPB under a {open_quotes}free{close_quotes} (Government-funded) scheme. (2) Householders found to have whole-house, whole-year average radon concentrations >200 Bq m{sup -3} are advised to take remedial action and are provided with information on how this can be done. Partial grants toward remedial work are available in cases of financial need. So far, around 3000 such households have been identified. (3) Within Affected Areas, localities are being defined where new homes must incorporate precautions against radon exposure. In addition to this strategy, a joint case-control study of the risks of radon in homes is being undertaken by the Imperial Cancer Research Fund and NRPB, supported by the UK Government and the Commission of the European Communities.

• OSTI ID: 45177
• Report Number(s): CONF-901010--Pt.1
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
56 BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE
APPLIED STUDIES
HOUSES
INDOOR AIR CONTAMINATION
MAXIMUM PERMISSIBLE ACTIVITY
MAXIMUM PERMISSIBLE EXPOSURE
NRPB
PUBLIC HEALTH
RADIATION PROTECTION
RADON
REGIONAL ANALYSIS
REMEDIAL ACTION
UNITED KINGDOM