6.4 Radon

Policies and actions

1.

Guidance:

Develop or update a national radon action plan covering both radon prevention (new buildings) and mitigation (existing buildings) to control public and occupational radon exposure in order to achieve an overall risk reduction (16).

Sector principally involved in planning/ implementation:

Housing, construction, health, workplace

Level of implementation:

National

Instruments:

Regulation

ICHI code:

UBR.TB.ZZ&UAM

Planning to manage radiation exposure

Design, construction and building products and technology of buildings, unspecified

2.

Guidance:

Establish national reference levels for radon air concentration in homes/ buildings with high public occupancy, and workplaces (12, 16).

Sector principally involved in planning/ implementation:

Housing, construction, workplace, health

Level of implementation:

National

Instruments:

Regulation

ICHI code:

UBR.WI.QD&UAM

Restrictions through enactment of rules or standards to manage radiation exposure

Design, construction and building products and technology of buildings, unspecified

3.

Guidance:

Establish national regulations, building codes and/or guidelines for radon prevention and mitigation (16).

Sector principally involved in planning/ implementation:

Housing, construction, workplace, health

Level of implementation:

National

Instruments:

Regulation

ICHI code:

UBR.WI.QD&UAM

Restrictions through enactment of rules or standards to manage radiation exposure

Design, construction and building products and technology of buildings, unspecified

4.

Guidance:

Test radon levels and monitor to determine the effectiveness of any radon prevention or mitigation effort, especially in the context of energy efficiency programmes (16, 18, 19).

Sector principally involved in planning/ implementation:

Housing, construction

Level of implementation:

National, community

Instruments:

Assessment and surveillance

ICHI code:

UBR.VC.ZZ&UAM

Public health surveillance of radiation

Design, construction and building products and technology of buildings, unspecified

5.

Guidance:

Incorporate radon as a risk factor in national cancer control, tobacco control, energy conservation and indoor air quality strategies and health promotion programmes (16).

Sector principally involved in planning/ implementation:

Housing, health

Level of implementation:

Community, national Universal health coverage

Instruments:

Governance

ICHI code:

UBR.WJ.ZZ

Policy change in relation radiation exposure

6.

Guidance:

Subsidize or provide tax incentives to householders carrying out radon mitigation renovations (16).

Sector principally involved in planning/ implementation:

Finance, housing

Level of implementation:

National, community

Instruments:

Taxes and subsidies

ICHI code:

UBR.WG.QF&UAM

Economic incentives concerning radiation exposure

Design, construction and building products and technology of buildings, unspecified

7.

Guidance:

Impose radon measurements and remediation as part of property transactions, where relevant (16).

Sector principally involved in planning/ implementation:

Finance, housing

Level of implementation:

National, community

Instruments:

Regulation

ICHI code:

UBR.WJ.ZZ&UEM

Policy change about radiation exposure

Economic services, systems and policies

Awareness raising and capacity building

8.

Guidance:

Educate radon professionals, who are key for controlling radon exposure. Radon control choices depend on concentration, sources and levels of transport of radon through housing materials. Examples of control options include active and passive ventilation and soil depressurization (16).

Sector principally involved in planning/ implementation:

Housing, construction

Level of implementation:

National, community

Instruments:

Information, education and communication

ICHI code:

UBR.PM.ZZ

Education about radiation exposure

9.

Guidance:

Develop a risk communication strategy to raise awareness and educate the public about the health risks of lung cancer from radon exposure (12, 16).

Sector principally involved in planning/ implementation:

Health, housing, construction

Level of implementation:

Community, national
Universal health coverage

Instruments:

Information, education and communication

ICHI code:

UBR.TB.ZZ

Radiation exposure planning

10.

Guidance:

Raise awareness among policy- makers and health practitioners that radon is an important public health issue that requires action (16).

Sector principally involved in planning/ implementation:

Health

Level of implementation:

National, community

Universal health coverage

Instruments:

Information, education and communication

ICHI code:

UBR.VB.ZZ

Awareness raising about radiation exposure

Selected tools

· WHO 2020: Global Health Observatory – database of national regulations on radon exposure (20)

· WHO 2018: Management of radioactivity in drinking-water (21)

· WHO 2009: Handbook on indoor radon: a public health perspective (16)