Radon in Galway home 19 times safe level

Residents of a home in Galway are being subjected to radon levels equivalent to receiving 13 chest X-rays every day, according to latest figures.

The data, released by the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland (RPII) for the first five months of the year, showed 341 homes were identified with high levels of radon gas.

The highest radon level found was in a home in Galway city which was 19 times the acceptable level. This is the highest level ever found in a home in Galway and the occupants were receiving the equivalent of approximately 13 chest X-rays per day.

Six homes, five in Galway and one in Kerry, were identified with radon levels in excess of ten times the acceptable level. A further 42 homes had levels between four and 10 times the acceptable level — located in Galway (31), Tipperary (3), Clare (2), Cork (2), Wexford (2), Kerry (1) and Sligo (1).

Radon is the second biggest cause of lung cancer after smoking and is directly linked to up to 200 lung cancer deaths in Ireland each year.

Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that originates from the decay of uranium in rocks and soils. Outdoors, radon quickly dilutes to harmless concentrations but in an enclosed space it can accumulate to dangerously high concentrations.

Senior scientist at the RPII Stephanie Long said more people are testing their homes for radon, with almost 2,400 homeowners having completed a radon test of their home in the first five months of this year: “Ireland has a significant radon problem with some of the highest radon levels found in Europe. Our research indicates that there are over 91,000 homes with high levels of radon and only about 7,500 have been found to date.

“Exposure to high radon levels causes lung cancer and many families are unknowingly living with a high risk to their health. People need to take the radon test and if high levels are found the problem should be fixed.”

Measuring for radon and fixing the problem are both easy to do.

To test for radon, one radon detector is placed in a bedroom and a second in a living room for a three-month period. The detectors are sent and returned by post for analysis. The RPII and a number of private companies provide a radon measurement service. It costs around €50, depending on the measurement company.

If a moderate radon level is found, improving indoor ventilation may reduce the level by up to half. For higher levels, a fan assisted sump can be installed which can reduce radon levels by over 90%.

The typical cost of this work is €1,100 with annual running costs of approximately €90.