Long-term exposure to elevated Radon concentrations increases the risk of developing lung cancer. The magnitude of the risk depends on the Radon concentration present and the duration of the exposure. Back to the Top According to current scientific knowledge, there is no other health effect associated with exposure to radon gas. Back to the Top Yes.

No immediate symptoms. Based on an updated Assessment of Risk for Radon in Homes, radon in indoor air is estimated to cause about 21,000 lung cancer deaths each year in the United States. Smokers are at higher risk of developing Radon-induced lung cancer. Lung cancer is the only health effect which has been definitively linked with radon exposure. Lung cancer would usually occur years (5-25) after exposure.

Yes. All countries have small, but not significant, percentages of their national housing stock with elevated indoor radon levels, and Ireland is no exception. Back to the Top

The risk can be significant and depends on how high the radon concentration is, how long one has been exposed to the radon, and also on whether the exposed person is a smoker. The Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland estimates that for the population as a whole the lifetime risk of contracting fatal lung cancer from exposure to 200 Bqm-3 of radon gas in a domestic environment is about 1 in 50 or 2%. The risk to smokers is considerably greater than this value. Back to the Top

Children have been reported to be at greater risk than adults for certain types of radiation exposure. However there are currently no conclusive data on children are at greater risk than adults from exposure to radon gas. Back to the Top

The test should be conducted in the lowest livable level of the house which is usually the basement. The test kit should be placed at least two feet above the floor. All windows and outside doors on the level you are testing should be closed during the test. All windows and outside doors should be closed 12 hours prior to and during the test period.

Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas. It is colourless, odourless and tasteless and can only be detected by its radiation signature. Back to the Top

The current U.S. EPA guideline is a radon gas level lower than 4 picocuries per liter of air (4pCi/L). In Canada the federal government has recommended that the Canadian acceptable level for radon should be 800 becquerels per cubic meter of air (800 Bq/m3).

Radon comes from the radioactive decay of Uranium, which is present in all rocks, soils and earth materials. Because it is a gas it can move more freely through rocks and soils enabling it to enter the atmosphere or seep into buildings such as houses or workplaces. Back to the Top

Radon enters a building mainly through a imperfections in the building substructure i.e. cracks in floors, gaps around pipes and cables. Radon is generally drawn into a building by a slight pressure difference between the house and the ground. The pressure difference is usually caused by temperature differences between the inside of a house and the outside, and by the effects of wind on the house. This phenomenon is called pressure driven flow. Back to the Top

Radon gas is measured in Becquerels per cubic metre of air (Bqm-3). The Bequerel is a unit of radioactivity and corresponds to one radioactive disintegration per second. Back to the Top

Radon Laboratory Services is a commercial radon measurement service provider. We provide confidential radon measurements to domestic & business clients using standard measuring protocols laid down by the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland. The fee for standard domestic radon measurements is ?40 for two radon detectors. Back to the Top

Radon is a naturally occurring, radioactive gas. It is impossible to detect radon without testing for it. For questions concerning radon, call the EPA's National Radon Hotline toll-free at 978- 821-9667-767-7236.

The Surgeon General has warned that Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the US. Only smoking causes more cases of lung cancer. Smokers exposed to elevated Radon levels have a much higher risk of lung cancer. Radon exposure does not cause any short-term health effects such as shortness of breath, headaches, respiratory illnesses, coughing or headaches. Water with high levels of radon may also pose a risk.

The US EPA risk analysis table found in "A Citizen's Guide to Radon" indicates that at the 4pCi/liter radon level 7 out of 1000 people have the possibility of developing lung cancer. The chances of lung cancer increase greatly if a person sm okes tobacco products.

The RPII estimates that up to nine percent of national housing stock have elevated indoor radon levels in excess of the national Reference Level of 200 Bqm-3. Back to the Top

Yes. However the measured radon gas concentrations may well be overestimates of that present during periods when the houses are occupied. This arises from the fact that when unoccupied the house may well be totally sealed up, with little or no ventilation. Back to the Top

Yes you should. Living in a Non-High Radon Area is not a guarantee that you will not have high radon levels in your home. It means that you will have at worst a 1 in 10 chance of having an elevated indoor radon level in your house. Back to the Top Yes it can. It is possible to reduce elevated radon levels in a house to below the National Reference Level of 200 Bqm-3. Technical advice and guidance on radon remediation techniques is available from the Department of the Environment.

Post-exposure prophylaxis to protect against HIV utilizes antiretroviral medications which may have adverse health effects in some individuals. Any individual on HIV PEP should be monitored closely by a physician for medication side effects. In January of 2001, the antiretroviral nevirapine (NVP) was found to have caused severe liver damage in 22 individuals taking it as a part of an HIV PEP regiment.

Secondhand smoke exposure is a known risk factor for lung cancer. Approximately 3,000 lung cancer deaths occur each year among adult non-smokers in the United States as a result of exposure to secondhand smoke. Secondhand smoke is also linked to nasal sinus cancer. Some research suggests an association between secondhand smoke and cancers of the cervix, breast, and bladder. However, more research is needed in order to confirm a link to these cancers.