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Radon in Ireland
Radon concentration is measured in becquerels per cubic metre of air (Bq/m3). The becquerel is a unit of radioactivity and corresponds to one radioactive disintegration per second. In 1990, the Government adopted a long-term averaged radon gas concentration of 200 Bq/m3 as the national reference level for radon in homes.
The radon concentrations measured in individual Irish homes range from a few tens of Bq/m3 to several thousand Bq/m3. The average concentration measured during the National Radon Survey is 89 Bq/m3. On the basis of this survey it is estimated that 7% of all Irish homes have radon concentrations above the Reference Level. The results of the survey enabled the RPII to designate parts of the country as High Radon Areas. High Radon Areas are defined as 10 x 10km National Grid squares in which the predicted percentage of homes with radon concentrations above 200 Bq/m3 is 10% or greater.
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Radon Map of Ireland
Reproduced with permission of the
Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland |
