Mallow Town Council

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The radon problem in Mallow and north Cork

• Mallow Town Council
• 6th October 2008

David Fenton Manager Radon Advice
Section Radiological Protection Institute of
Ireland (RPII)
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What am I going to talk about?

• Brief description of the RPII
• Brief description of the properties of radon
• History of radon in Mallow
• Why was radon in Mallow highlighted?
• How was radon in Mallow highlighted?
• What was done?
• What we have learned about the radon risk in
  Mallow?
• What now needs to be done?

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THE RADIOLOGICAL PROTECTIONINSTITUTE OF IRELAND

• Statutory Body
• - Department of Environment
• Key Functions
• Advice to government and public
• Regulatory Authority
• radon in workplaces and other radiation sources
  (X-ray etc.)
• Monitoring and Measurement (radon, discharges
  from Sellafield, doses to radiation workers etc).
  

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Radon Gas

• Colourless, odourless, tasteless radioactive gas
  that originates in the ground from the
  radioactive decay of uranium present in all rocks
  and soils.
• It enters buildings from the ground and can
  accumulate to high levels under certain
  circumstances.
• Group 1 carcinogen as classified by WHO known to
  cause cancer in humans, same group as tobacco and
  asbestos

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Why should we be concerned about radon?

• Prolonged exposure to high radon levels can cause
  lung cancer.
• Radon is linked to 200 lung cancer (10 - 15 of
  all lung cancers) each year in Ireland
• BUT THESE DEATHS COULD BE AVOIDED IF PEOPLE ARE
  INFORMED

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History of radon in MallowWhy was Mallow
highlighted?

• Mallow and north Cork designated as High Radon
  Areas in national radon survey.
• RPII started radon awareness programmes
  throughout the country
• Ballina, Sligo, Galway, Tralee, Kilkenny,
  Clonmel, Waterford.

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History of radon in MallowWhy was Mallow
highlighted?

• In March 2007 RPII gave a presentation to Kerry
  Environmental Conference.
• Conference attended by Councillors O Regan and
  Mullally who offered assistance locally if RPII
  wished to hold awareness efforts in Mallow

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History of radon in MallowHow was Mallow
highlighted?

• In June 2007 RPII highlighted radon as an issue
  in local media. Corkman newspaper carried
  articles and the issue was covered by Cork 103 fm
  (Country Sound).
• Public meetings took place in June 2007 arranged
  by Mallow Town Council and chaired by Councillor
  Mullally (then Mayor of Mallow) and Councillor
  ORegan

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What was known about radon in Mallow in June 2007

• No. of homes measured in Mallow 238
• No. above Reference Level (200 Bq/m3) 32 (13)
• Maximum value 1271 Bq/m3
• No. of homes measured in the rest of county Cork
  3227
• No. above Reference Level (200 Bq/m3) 270 (8)
• Maximum value 2309 Bq/m3

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History of radon in MallowHow was Mallow
highlighted?

• The meetings were attended by HSE and Cork County
  Council (CCC) and there was much public interest.
• From RPII perspective this was very pleasing as
  there was buy in to the issue.

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History of radon in MallowHow was Mallow
highlighted?

• One of the premises measured on foot of the June
  2007 publicity was the Corkman newspaper
• In September 2007 huge radon levels found in one
  office there (25,000 Bq/m3)
• Publicity efforts ramped up

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History of radon in MallowHow was Mallow
highlighted?

• RPII placed ads in local radio and newspapers,
  wrote to over 4700 local householders
• Public meetings held in collaboration with CCC
  and MTC who attended meetings. Meeting chaired by
  Councillor OConnor (then Mayor of Mallow).
  Councillors O Regan and Mullally also made
  contributions

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History of radon in MallowRadon measurements
June 2007 to September 2008

• Huge interest in radon 400 private homes in
  Mallow measured for radon
• CCC and MTC also measured radon in their housing
  stock
• Very high radon levels found

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RPII radon measurements in private homes made
June 2007 to September 2008

• No. of homes measured in Mallow 400
• No. above 200 Bq/m3 92 (23)
• Maximum value 4516 Bq/m3
• No. above 1000 Bq/m3 17 (4)
• No. of homes measured in the rest of county Cork
  224
• No. above 200 Bq/m3 34 (4)
• Maximum value 793 Bq/m3
• No. above 1000 Bq/m3 0

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Present position with radon in MallowRPII data
of private homes 25th September 2008

• No. of homes measured in Mallow 638
• No. above 200 Bq/m3 124 (20)
• Maximum value 4516 Bq/m3
• No. above 1000 Bq/m3 18 (3)
• No. of homes measured in the rest of county Cork
  3451
• No. above 200 Bq/m3 304 (9)
• Maximum value 2309 Bq/m3
• No. above 1000 Bq/m3 5 (lt0.1)

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What was known about radon in Mallow in June 2007

• No. of homes measured in Mallow 238
• No. above Reference Level (200 Bq/m3) 32 (13)
• Maximum value 1271 Bq/m3
• No. above 1000 Bq/m3 1 (0.4)
• No. of homes measured in the rest of county Cork
  3227
• No. above Reference Level (200 Bq/m3) 270 (8)
• Maximum value 2309 Bq/m3

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Cork County Council data north Cork

• No. of homes measured 457
• No. requiring remediation 110 (24)
• - 5 were very high
• No. to be retested 91 (20)
• No. action required 189 (41)
• No. where results still awaited 67
• No. where access has yet to be gained 76

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What we have learned?June 2007 September 2008

• CCC and MTC have measured their housing stock.
  This is very welcome particularly in light of
  high levels found.
• The high levels would not have been found had
  they not have done so. People would have been at
  risk.

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What we have learned?June 2007 September 2008

• From RPII and CCC data 234 homes found with high
  radon levels. 44 with very high levels. (MTC data
  not yet available).
• This is most important as these people were
  living with dangerous levels of a cancer causing
  gas.
• By finding and remediating these radon levels
  lives will be saved in the long term

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What we have learned?June 2007 September 2008

• Co-ordination of efforts between CCC, HSE and
  RPII and the continued interest in radon from the
  elected members is very important.
• RPII views this co-operation as a model other
  authorities could use in assessing, communicating
  and fixing radon problems locally.

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What now needs to be done?

• Radon will not go away and will continue to pose
  a risk in Mallow.
• There is a need for continuous local awareness.

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What now needs to be done?

• CCC and MTC continue to have a role in promoting
  local awareness
• - radon pamphlets/brochures could be made
  available through council channels
• - CCC and MTC website should contain radon
  information eg links to RPII website
• - steps be taken to ensure insofar as possible
  that the required radon barriers are fitted
  correctly in new buildings

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What now needs to be done?

• These efforts will help inform the public
• The public want and need information
• Information does Not mean scaremongering
• Information does Not mean complacency

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National Radon Forum

• As part of RPII efforts to promote awareness we
  host a national radon forum
• This draws together groups on radon to discuss
  ways of how radon can be tackled.
• Forum will be held on 6th November in Kildare St
  Dublin 2.

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National Radon Forum

• Speakers from CCC, HSE and World Health
  Organisation as well as from RPII.
• 6th November 2008. Royal college of Physicians of
  Ireland. No 6 Kildare St Dublin. Will be opened
  by Minister of State at Dept of Environment,
  Michael Kitt TD.

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Local Public Awareness Efforts

• CCC are organising public meetings in
• Firgrove Hotel, Mitchelstown 21st October
• Community Centre Doneraile, 22nd October. (venue
  to be confirmed).
• The meetings aim to answer concerns of local
  public in light of high radon levels found in
  both towns by CCC.

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Key Messages

• Radon is easy to measure and to fix
• Radon is a problem only if it is ignored.

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