The Health Protection Agency and the British Geological Survey have jointly produced new information on radon Affected Areas in England and Wales. There is detailed information for individual properties available from a new website and a new atlas* published today giving an overview of radon Affected Areas by 1-km squares of the national grid. This material replaces the existing Radon Atlas of England and Wales (NRPB-W26) and copies of the new atlas have been sent to every local authority in England and Wales .
Professor Pat Troop, Chief Executive of the Health Protection Agency said, "We are very pleased to be able to make this new information available to the public. Radon gas levels in some properties need to be reduced, and this can be achieved by relatively simple means. High quality information on radon Affected Areas is the best starting point for achieving a reduction in levels."
Professor John Ludden, Executive Director of the British Geological Survey said, "Collaboration between scientists in the two organisations over several years has succeeded in combining the latest geological knowledge with the many existing radon measurements to make the best available assessment of radon Affected Areas."
Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that is present in all rocks and soils. Radon decay produces alpha radiation and high exposures to such radiation are known to increase the risk of lung cancer. Recent studies show that the risk from radon to smokers is particular high and it is estimated that 1,000 to 2,000 cases of lung cancer are caused by indoor radon in the UK each year.
Radon enters buildings from the ground beneath and indoor levels vary depending on several factors including the underlying geology, the method of building construction and the way a building is heated and ventilated. The new dataset combines the latest results of measurements in over 450,000 homes and takes account of the local geology. This provides a more informed estimate of the probability of a high radon level in a home than was previously available.
The radon Affected Area status of a property is an important tool in programmes to control and reduce the exposure of the population to this known cause of cancer. In addition, the information is required during the property transaction process. The new dataset is too large to publish in full detail as a printed map but it is important that the detailed information is readily available in digital and other formats. The estimated radon potential for any individual home in England and Wales can be obtained by members of the public for a small fee (ВЈ3 plus VAT) from a dedicated web site (UKradon). Licensing arrangements for multiple users are also available from the British Geological Survey (enquiriesbgs.ac.uk )
* J C H Miles, J D Appleton et al. Indicative Atlas of Radon in England and Wales. HPA-RPD-033. November 2007. ISBN 978-0-85951-608-2. Available to download free from the Health Protection Agency website here.
Notes:
1. The Health Protection Agency is an independent organisation dedicated to protecting people's health in the United Kingdom. The Agency does this by providing impartial advice and authoritative information on health protection issues to the public, to professionals and to government. It combines public health and scientific expertise, research, and emergency planning within one organisation. It works at international, national, regional and local levels and has links with many other organisations around the world. This means it can respond quickly and effectively to new and existing national and global threats to health, including environmental hazards such as radon. The Agency defines radon Affected Areas as parts of the country where the probability of present or future homes exceeding the Action Level is estimated to be 1% or more. It recommends that existing homes within Affected Areas should have radon measurements.
2. The British Geological Survey (BGS), a component body of the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), is the nation's principal supplier of objective, impartial and up-to-date geological expertise and information for decision making for governmental, commercial and individual users. The BGS maintains and develops the nation's understanding of its geology to improve policy making, enhance national wealth and reduce risk. It also collaborates with the national and international scientific community in carrying out research in strategic areas, including energy and natural resources, our vulnerability to environmental change and hazards, and our general knowledge of the Earth system. More about the BGS can be found at bgs.ac.uk/
3. The Agency and BGS have developed a new analytical method to take advantage of the large number of radon results and of the BGS's digital geological data. In order to define radon Affected Areas, the results of radon measurements are grouped first by geological boundaries and then by 1-km grid squares. The new method allows variations in radon potential (the estimated percentage of homes in an area above the Action Level) both between and within geological units to be analysed. The resulting dataset, which defines radon Affected Areas in England and Wales, includes much more detail than could be shown in an atlas.
4. The new radon data are presented in two ways: as a simplified Indicative Atlas of Radon, and as a full electronic dataset. This provides the information required during the property transaction process (question 3.13 on the CON 29 form; local authority search form). The Indicative Atlas is divided into 1-km grid squares, and each square is coloured according to the highest radon potential found within the square in the full dataset.
5. The full detail is available as a dataset for Geographical Information Systems, which can be licensed by users such as local authorities.
6. The average radon level for all UK dwellings is 20 Bq m-3 and the Action Level is 200 Bq m-3. At or above the Action Level, remedial action to reduce radon is recommended.
7. Radon has been recognised as a cause of lung cancer in humans for many years. Because of the risk from radon, the Agency (and previously the National Radiological Protection Board, NRPB, now incorporated into the Agency) advised that excessive exposures to radon should be reduced. NRPB proposed a comprehensive control strategy based on the concept of a radon Action Level and the identification of radon Affected Areas. The Government accepted this advice.
8. The new radon map will assist in implementing the Agency's radon policies that:
- existing homes in Affected Areas should have radon measurements
- radon concentrations at or above the Action Level of 200 Bq m-3 should be reduced to as low as reasonably practicable
- new homes built within localities delimited by the appropriate Government authorities should be constructed with precautions against radon.
Health Protection Agency
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