Irish house has one of the highest levels of radon in Europe

A KERRY house has recorded some of the highest concentrations of cancer-causing radioactive gas radon ever found in Europe.

Figures from the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland (RPII) show the home, in the Castleisland area of Kerry, had an average radon concentration of 37,000 becquerels per cubic metre (Bq/m3), a staggering 185 times above the acceptable level.

The house is located just a few kilometres away from the highest ever reading in an Irish house of 49,000 Bq/m3 found in 2003. Occupants of this house developed lung cancer believed to be linked to the radon.

Nationally, radon is the second biggest cause of lung cancer after smoking and is directly linked to about 200 lung cancer deaths each year.

Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that originates from the decay of uranium in rocks and soils. It has no smell, colour or taste and can only be detected using special detectors.

Outdoors, radon quickly dilutes to harmless concentrations but when it enters an enclosed space, such as a house or other building, it can accumulate to dangerously high concentrations.

David Fenton of the RPII said the reason for the routinely high levels of radon detected in north Kerry is due to the geology of the area.

“We believe that the karstic limestone, crag cave-type system underneath that part of north Kerry is responsible. It acts as a kind of a plumbing system to allow radon to move around and quickly move to the surface and into a home,” he said.

Almost 5,000 people tested their homes for radon during the nine month period between September and June, with more than 800 of those having recorded a high level.

Apart from the Castleisland house, 18 homes were identified over 2000 Bq/m3, some 10 times above the acceptable radon level.

These homes were located in Sligo (3), Tipperary (2), Galway (2), Cork (2), Wexford (2), Carlow (3), Donegal (1), Kerry (2) and Waterford (1).

A further 93 homes had levels of between four and 10 times the acceptable level. These homes were located in Waterford (18), Clare (14), Mayo (14), Galway (13), Sligo (11), Cork (5), Kilkenny (5), Wicklow (4), Kerry (3), Carlow (2), Dublin (1), Roscommon (1), Tipperary (1) and Wexford (1).

More than 700 homes had levels up to four times the acceptable level and were found throughout the country

Chief executive of the RPII Dr Ann McGarry said there were thousands more homes across the country with high levels of radon.

“To date, only a very small proportion of these homes have been identified. Exposure to high radon levels causes lung cancer and many people are unknowingly living with very high levels in their homes.

“The only way people will know if it is in their homes is by testing,” said Dr McGarry.