Radon risk management: ICRP issues a recommandation prepared by a working group coordinated by IRSN

The recommended radon risk prevention approach is simple and focuses on buildings as places of exposure.

ICRP (International Commission on Radiological Protection) issues a new and innovative publication on radon risk management prepared by a working group coordinated by IRSN experts.

The new text, which replaces a document dating from 1993, incorporates developments in scientific knowledge and experience acquired by various countries and organizations in managing radon exposure.

The recommended radon risk prevention approach is simple and focuses on buildings as places of exposure, regardless of their purpose or of the characteristics of their occupants. This avoids having to distinguish between smokers and non-smokers or to propose specific criteria for children for the purpose of risk management.

Yet it is integrated, and ambitious in its goals, aiming to reduce individual and collective exposure levels to below the reference level of 10 mSv/year, or a maximum of 300 Bq/m-3 in indoor radon concentration (above which it is not appropriate to go or stay).

Recommendation suggests applying the optimization principle as part of an action plan based on exposure prevention in the case of new buildings, and on exposure mitigation in the case of existing buildings, while involving stakeholders in the process. Such an action plan would typically be set up by competent national authorities, taking into account the specificities of the country’s situation with respect to radon exposure risks.

More information: Recommendation on radon risk management issued by ICRP