Suggestions for Improvements in National Radon Control Strategies of Member States Which Were Developed as a Requirement of EU Directive 2013/59 EURATOM

Exposure to the indoor air pollutant radon is considered to be a significant health risk globally, as has been demonstrated by many studies over time. A recent WHO statement on radon estimates that, worldwide, approximately 80,000 people may die every year due to lung cancer associated with radon exposure. The recent years have also seen huge improvements in radon policies in European countries, as a consequence of the issuing, in 2013, of the Council Directive 2013/59/Euratom. Although the protection of workers from radon exposure is well established, the protection of the general public needs more improvements. The main objective of this paper is, first, to acknowledge and recognise the improvements in radon protection policies, but also to show that there are many areas where improvements are desirable and possible. The final goal is to suggest better ways to protect the general population from exposure to radon gas. The suggestions are based on the experiences of the co-authors, who come from different disciplines related to radon management. The following fields or areas where improvements are possible are identified: risk communication, building codes, radon policies, including funding, research and protection of children. We describe the work that has been conducted, and the possible improvements and solutions in these fields.

Automated summary

Exposure to indoor air pollutant radon is a significant global health risk, causing approximately 80,000 lung cancer deaths worldwide each year. While improvements in radon protection policies have been made, there is still room for further improvements in protecting the general public. This paper seeks to acknowledge and recognize these improvements and suggests better ways to protect the population from radon gas exposure, focusing on risk communication, building codes, radon policies, and protection of children.