Radon Gas - What is it?

Radon is a radioactive gas that occurs naturally.  It is not the result of global warming, nor the result of any human activity.  It is simply there and it’s been around forever.  But because of this – and the fact that it’s natural – it would wrong to ignore it.  Radon is now officially recognised as one of the largest causes of lung cancer in the UK today.

Radon gas is everywhere throughout Britain, but it’s more prevalent in some parts than in others.  Areas where there’s granite, where there are caves, underground ducting for utility services or where there’s been a history of mining.  But wherever one lives, there is a risk of radon gas emission.  The question is not so much whether it’s present; it’s more to do with whether or not it’s at an acceptable level.

Radon gas, or more precisely Radon 222 Gas as it is known, is emitted through the radioactive decay of radium, which itself comes from the radioactive decay of uranium in soils and rocks.

A Growing Awareness

The case against radon is getting stronger.  So strong in fact that the movers and shakers in the UK – government, medical bodies, scientific organisations – are convinced of its culpability with regard to cancer related illnesses.

According to the British Medical Journal, an analysis of individual data collected from 13 case control studies across nine European countries has shown appreciable hazards from radon, particularly for smokers and those who have recently kicked the habit.  They also indicate that around 2% of all deaths from cancer in Europe can be attributed to radon.

A Responsibility To Act

Health and Safety legislation has an impact on employers’ responsibility in the workplace in so far as employers are required by law to evaluate hazards and to control risks.  Households are under no such tightly regulated legal obligation and yet the moral responsibility is as great.  Incidents of childhood leukaemia have been linked to areas where radon gas emissions are significantly high, whilst other reports claim that radon is responsible for between 30% and 40% of all cancer cases in the UK.