One in six Mayo homes has high radon levels

THE EPA is calling on all householders in Mayo to take action against radon exposure to protect themselves and their families.

One in six homes tested in the county were found to have radon levels above the acceptable level. In these homes, remedial action should be carried out as a matter of urgency to reduce exposure to radon.

Many parts of Mayo are deemed as high radon areas.

Radon is second only to smoking as the leading cause of lung cancer. It is estimated that about 300 lung cancer cases each year in Ireland are linked to radon exposure. Reducing high radon levels will, over time, save lives.

Radon is easy to test for and easy to fix, so learning more about what it is, and how you can protect yourself is critical. The World Health Organisation has categorised radon as a Group 1 carcinogen, in the same group as asbestos and tobacco smoke.

Commented Alison Dowdall, scientist, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said: “Radon is invisible, colourless and odourless. It is present in all Irish homes and it is estimated that up to 500,000 people are living in homes with radon levels above the acceptable level of 200 Bq/m3.

“Radon is only a problem if it is ignored. If there is a high radon level in your home, it is exposing you and your family to an unnecessary radiation dose.

“Reducing radon levels is simple and inexpensive and will immediately reduce the risk of developing lung cancer. For moderate levels of radon, improving indoor ventilation may reduce the level by up to half, the cost of which is low. For higher levels, a fan assisted ‘sump’ can be installed which can reduce radon levels by over 90 per cent. The sump can be installed in a day by a contractor with little disruption to the home.

“If you know you have high radon levels in your home and haven’t already done so, we would urge everyone to protect your family’s health by reducing radon as soon as possible”.

For more information and to find a list of registered radon testing and remediation services, visit www.radon.ie.