Radon Gas

* The following information is produced and copyright of the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland.

Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas which originates from the decay of uranium in rocks and soils. It is colourless, odourless and tasteless and can only be measured using special equipment. When radon surfaces in the open air, it is quickly diluted to harmless concentrations, but when it enters an enclosed space, such as a house or other buildings, it can sometimes accumulate to unacceptably high concentrations.

Radon decays to form tiny radioactive particles, some of which remains suspended in the air. When inhaled into the lungs these particles give a radiation dose which may damage cells in the lung and eventually lead to lung cancer.

Technical Guidance Document C of the 1997 Building Regulations, which came into force on the 1st of July 1998, sets out radon preventative measures to be applied in the construction of new dwellings or long stay residential buildings. To find out more go to Building Regulation.

It is estimated that more than two thirds of the radiation dose received by the average person in Ireland is due to radon.

Radon from the ground gets into the buildings mainly through cracks in floors or gaps around pipes or cables. As the pressure in a building is slightly lower than the pressure outdoors, radon will be drawn from the ground into the building. This phenomenon is known as a pressure-driven flow.

What is a high radon area:

A high radon area is an area in which more than 10% of the houses are predicted to have indoor radon levels greater than 200 Bq/m3.

To view the map for your area prepared by Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland, click on the county below:

Leinster

Carlow  Dublin  Kildare  Kilkenny  Laois  Louth  Longford  Meath  Offaly  Westmeath  Wexford  Wicklow 

Munster

Clare   Cork  Kerry  Limerick  Tipperary  Waterford

Connaught

Galway  Leitrim  Mayo  Roscommon  Sligo

Ulster

Cavan  Donegal  Monaghan

A radon map for Northern Ireland can be found on the NRPB website:

www.nrpb.org.uk

For further information on radon, contact or visit

Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland , 3 Clonskeagh Square, Clonskeagh Road, Dublin 14,  Ireland. Tel: 00353 1 2697766 Fax: 00353 1 2697437

Web site www.rpii.ie  E-mail rpii@rpii.ie

Building Regulation:

Under requirement C3 of the building regulation 1997 all reasonable precautions must be taken to avoid the dangers of radon gas entering houses.