First European Radon Day

Source: European Radon Association

The European Radon Association proclaimed 7 November “European Radon Day”. With good reason: The radioactive noble gas is the leading cause of death from lung cancer after smoking. Radon occurs everywhere in soil. Larger amounts entering a building increase the lung cancer risk of residents.

The Federal Office for Radiation Protection (Bundesamt für Strahlenschutz, BfS) has long been committed to providing information on health risks from the radioactive noble gas and improving protection against it.

7 November – Marie Curie’s birthday

The Association chose the most significant date for the European Radon Day – Marie Curie’s birthday. The physicist born 1867 in Warsaw discovered, together with her husband, the chemical element radium, among others. One of its decay products is radon.

The couple made numberless experiments with radioactive substances, particularly with radon. It is assumed that they suffered from radiation sickness. They were not aware of the danger posed by the substances they handled.

Nowadays we know a lot about radon, and it is in our own hands to ensure protection: radon measurement is cheap and provides certainty as to whether the radon concentration in a room or a building is increased.

The BfS recommends that protective measures against radon be taken when indoor air radon concentrations exceed 100 Bq per cubic metre. It is often sufficient to seal cracks, gaps and wall ducts of building areas in contact with the ground in order to lock out the gas effectively. New buildings can be designed and constructed so as to prevent radon entering them.