Arun

This page gives information on Radon gas including the location of designated Radon Affected Areas in Arun District. Click on one of the following headings.

• What Is Radon?
• What are the likely levels of Radon where I live?
• Can I Test A Property For Radon?
• How Does Radon Get Into My Home?
• Additional Useful Links, Further Information and Reading

 What is Radon?

Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas, with no colour, taste or smell.  It originates from uranium found in soils and rocks. When uranium decays, it becomes radium, and when radium decays, it becomes radon gas. Radon lasts for several days before it begins to break down. It has a half-life of 3.8 days.  All water and air contains some radon, though amounts are normally much too low to be of concern. Radon is chemically non-reactive, so this allows it to move freely from the soil to the atmosphere. Concentrations vary from region to region, and even from home to home in the same area, depending upon geology. In open spaces, when radon mixes with air, it is quickly diluted and dispersed into the atmosphere. However, if there is radon in the ground beneath a building, it may find its way in through cracks in floors and walls and build up to levels that can affect health.

The Health Protection Agency (HPA) regularly monitors levels of radon around the country and has identified those areas where there is a greater risk of radon being present in homes. Some areas, such as Devon, Cornwall, Northants and Derbyshire can have particularly high levels of the gas because of the underlying geology.

If radon concentrations, in air, in a dwelling exceed the Action Level of

200 Bq m^-3 (Becquerels per cubic metre), the Government recommends that steps be taken to keep radon out; such as by sealing cracks and ventilating under-floor spaces.  The Action Level for employers premises is 400 Bq m^-3  There is a target level of 100 Bq m^-3 set by the HPA as target to remediate to if the action level is reached.

What are the likely levels of Radon where I live?

The Health Protection Agency (HPA) and The British Geological Survey have published a radon dataset for England and Wales. This gives a radon-probability banding for a property. (The Radon Atlas of England and Wales 2002 is no longer valid). 

If you are buying or selling a property, the probability of radon being above the action level will be supplied as part of a Local Authority Search. Alternatively, you can go to the UK Radon website, http://www.ukradon.org/search.php to undertake an on-line check on the expected radon probability for a specific property, for a £3.60 fee. 

An average radon-probability for a 1km grid square can be viewed in the following HPA document http://www.hpa.org.uk/webc/HPAwebFile/HPAweb_C/1204186227787.

Can I test a property for Radon?

If you are concerned about radon in your home, you can arrange a test for a cost of around £46 at ukradon.org.uk 

How Does Radon Get Into My Home?

Because of the effects of wind and temperature, the air pressure in buildings is usually lower than the air pressure in the soil beneath it. Air from the soil creeps into the lower pressure area of the house through cracks and gaps in the floor or walls. This air contains radon, and in areas where radon levels in the soil are quite high, indoor radon levels can rise above the Action Level of 100 Bq m^-3.

Additional Useful Links, Further Information And Reading

Building Research Establishment (BRE)

Garston
Watford
Hertfordshire
WD2 7JR
(Includes advice on measures to reduce radon in dwellings)

Defra

Health and Safety Executive

Sheffield Information Centre
Health & Safety Laboratory
Broad Lane
Sheffield S3 7HQ
 

Health Protection Agency

Formerly National Radiological Protection Board

National Radon Forum

The Radon Council
PO Box 39
Shepperton
Middlesex TW17 8AD
Tel: 01932 221212
Fax: 01932 229779