Design and Conduct of Indoor Radon Surveys

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• Publisher: International Atomic Energy Agency
• Year: 2019
• eBook ISBN: 9789201078223
• Topic: Tecnologia e ingegneria
• Subtopic: Ingegneria meccanica

This Safety Report draws on the requirements of international standards and the recommendations of international organizations as well as on the scientific literature, together with direct experience from a number of IAEA Member States in relation to carrying out representative indoor radon surveys. The need for and the purpose of representative indoor radon surveys are discussed, as are the factors that must be considered in designing and carrying out such surveys. How the measurement data obtained from indoor radon surveys can be used to develop radon risk maps is also considered. While the Safety Report is focused specifically on national and regional surveys to evaluate average concentrations of radon in dwellings, many of the same considerations also apply to radon surveys for other types of buildings.

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1. Background

Radon1 is a radioactive gas that is produced in the ground by the radioactive decay of 226Ra, which is itself produced by the radioactive decay of 238U. Both 226Ra and 238U are present at various concentrations in most rocks and soils. Radon is continuously released into outdoor air, where it is quickly diluted to harmless concentrations. However, when radon enters an enclosed space such as a building, it can accumulate to elevated concentrations and can represent a possible health risk.

For many people, radon represents the major contributor to their lifetime exposure to radiation. The United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR) has calculated the global average annual individual dose from exposure to radiation from all sources as 3.0 mSv, of which approximately 80% (2.4 mSv) is due to exposure to radiation from all natural sources. The global average annual dose from exposure due to radon is estimated to be 1.15 mSv, representing just under 50% of the dose from exposure to radiation from all natural sources and just under 40% of the dose from exposure to radiation from all sources [1].

While the average dose from exposure due to radon is 1.15 mSv in a year, situations have been identified in many countries where individuals receive annual doses due to radon that are tens or even hundreds of times higher than this.

Elevated radon concentrations (i.e. radon activity concentrations) indoors are often associated with particular geological formations; however, the only way to accurately determine the concentration of radon in a particular building is to measure it.

Requirement 50 of IAEA Safety Standards Series No. GSR Part 3, Radiation Protection and Safety of Radiation Sources: International Basic Safety Standards [2], places a responsibility on governments2 (i.e. national authorities) to “provide information on levels of radon indoors and the associated health risks and, if appropriate, … establish and implement an action plan for controlling public exposure due to radon indoors.”

Since the publication of GSR Part 3 [2] in 2014, the IAEA has received many requests from Member States for advice on and assistance in establishing action plans to control exposure due to radon in dwellings. The ultimate goal of a national radon action plan is to reduce exposure of the public. This is best achieved by ensuring the use of appropriate building technology by means of building codes: both preventive measures to limit the accumulation of radon in new dwellings and corrective actions to reduce high radon concentrations in existing dwellings need to be developed and applied. For this to be successful, many different parties need to cooperate and a strong communication plan is essential.

Action plans are best developed once there is a good understanding of the extent to which the population is exposed to radiation from radon. This, in turn, means that information needs to be gathered on the magnitude and distribution of radon concentrations in the national housing stock through representative surveys of radon activity concentrations (hereafter called ‘radon surveys’).

1.2. Objective

This Safety Report discusses the factors that need to be taken into account in designing and carrying out representative indoor radon surveys. It aims to assist national authorities that are considering whether they need to undertake a radon survey and, if so, how to best design and conduct the survey.

1.3. Scope

This Safety Report addresses the requirement established in para. 5.19(a) of GSR Part 3 [2] to ensure that “Information is gathered on activity concentrations of radon in dwellings … through appropriate means, such as representative radon surveys”. The need for and the purpose of representative indoor radon surveys are discussed, as well as the factors that need to be considered in designing and carrying out such surveys. How the measurement data obtained from radon surveys can be used to develop radon maps is also considered.

This Safety Report draws on the requirements of international standards, the recommendations of international organizations, the scientific literature and direct experience in relation to carrying out indoor radon surveys in a number of States.

While this Safety Report focuses specifically on national and regional surveys to evaluate the distribution of radon in dwellings, many of the same considerations also apply to radon surveys for other types of building.

This Safety Report does not specifically address:

(1) National and regional radon surveys of other buildings with high occupancy factors for members of the public (such as kindergartens, schools and hospitals), or workplaces;

(2) National and regional sur...

Table of contents

• 1. INTRODUCTION
• REFERENCES
• Annex I NATIONAL RADON SURVEY IN ARGENTINA
• Annex II NATIONAL RADON SURVEY IN AUSTRALIA
• Annex III NATIONAL RADON SURVEY IN AUSTRIA
• Annex IV NATIONAL RADON SURVEY IN BULGARIA
• Annex V NATIONAL RADON SURVEY IN CANADA
• Annex VI NATIONAL RADON SURVEY IN ICELAND
• Annex VII NATIONAL RADON SURVEY IN ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN
• Annex VIII NATIONAL RADON SURVEY IN IRELAND
• Annex IX NATIONAL RADON SURVEY IN ITALY
• Annex X NATIONAL RADON SURVEY IN MONTENEGRO
• Annex XI NATIONAL RADON SURVEYIN NETHERLANDS
• Annex XII NATIONAL RADON SURVEY IN UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
• CONTRIBUTORS TO DRAFTING AND REVIEW