Radon gas kills 200 people every year, says Stagg

UP to 200 people die each year from lung cancer directly linked to radon gas leaks in the home, the Labour Party claimed yesterday.

Labour Party spokesperson on Nuclear Affairs, Emmett Stagg called on the Government to reinstate a radon protection grant, which was scrapped several years ago.

“I introduced a radon remediation grant scheme, to assist householders with preventative measures, but extraordinarily the Fianna Fail/PD later withdrew funding, and the scheme collapsed.

“Given the known death toll, this is an extraordinary position to adopt. Imagine the public indignation there would be if measures to reduce the death toll on the roads were to be cut due to budgetary constraints,” Mr Stagg said.

Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that originates from the decay of uranium in rocks and soil. Although colourless, odourless, and tasteless, it can be detected using special measuring equipment.

Radon offers little danger in the open air, but when it enters enclosed spaces such as houses or schools, it can be potentially lethal.

According to the Department of the Environment, 10% to 15% of all lung cancer deaths in this country are linked to radon gas exposure.

With lung cancer deaths in Ireland running at an annual rate of around 1,600, this means that radon gas is causing something between 160 and 200 deaths.

According to Stagg, the chances of dying from lung cancer acquired from a lifetime of exposure to radon is about 1 in 50 - twice the risk of death in a road accident.

High radon areas include, Carlow, Kilkenny, Waterford, Wexford, Wicklow, Clare, Galway, Mayo and Sligo.

“Much attention has been focused in recent months on the measures the Government is introducing to combat smoking which, as is generally known, is a major cause of lung cancer and other ailments,” said Stagg.

“However, it is not generally realised that there is another very significant cause of lung cancer in this country, and that is radon gas,” he continued.

Under building regulations introduced in 1998, each new house is required to incorporate some degree of radon protective measures.

However, Stagg said the vast majority of pre-1998 houses had no protection whatsoever, and promised to raise the issue in the Dáil this week.