Where to find more radon information
If you are building in an area with elevated radon potential within the UK you should consider installing radon protection during construction.
Radon is referred to in UK national building regulation guidance. Guidance can be found in the following publications which relate to each specific UK region.
England
Department of Communities and Local Government (DCLG). The Building Regulations 2010 England. Approved Document C. Site preparation and resistance to contaminants and moisture. (2004 edition incorporating 2010 and 2013 amendments) London, NBS, 2013.
Available www.gov.uk
Wales
Welsh Government. The Building Regulations 2010. (as amended in Wales). Approved Document C. Site preparation and resistance to contaminants and moisture. 2004 edition incorporating 2010 amendments.
Available www.gov.wales
Scotland
Scottish Building Standards Agency. The Building (Scotland) Regulations 2004, Domestic and Non-Domestic Technical Handbooks – Section 3.
Available www.gov.scot
Document download
Publications
The National Radon Action Plan (NRAP)
The National Radon Action Plan (NRAP) (McColl et al, 2018a) has been prepared by a Core Group of representatives from government departments and agencies, with input from stakeholders, to comply with a requirement of the European Union Basic Safety Standards Directive (EU-BSS) (EU, 2013).
Before and during its preparation, a detailed gap analysis was made of radon-related activities currently undertaken in all parts of the UK to identify where the UK is fully compliant and where further work or new activities needed to be considered.
Online publications
WHO handbook on indoor radon: a public health perspective .
The handbook book focuses on residential radon exposure from a public health point of view and provides detailed recommendations on reducing health risks from radon and sound policy options for preventing and mitigating radon exposure.
The material in the handbook reflects the epidemiological evidence that indoor radon exposure is responsible for a substantial number of lung cancers in the general population.
This publication is intended for countries planning to develop their national radon programmes or extend such activities, as well as for stakeholders involved in radon control such as the construction industry and building professionals.
Radon as a carcinogenic built-environmental pollutant
Radon (222Rn) has been highlighted by a number of authors as a significant public health concern. For example, it is the second most significant cause of lung cancer after tobacco smoking (c. 1000–2000 and 21 000 deaths per year in the UK and USA, respectively), yet a very high proportion of the general public appears to be unaware of the risk.
Exploring the relationship between social deprivation and domestic radon levels in the East Midlands, UK
Radon, Health and Natural Hazards:
451 (Geological Society of London Special Publications) Hardcover – 20 April 2018
Natural Hazards and Earth System Science Special Issue
Building regulations
Current building regulations provide guidance in conjunction with BR 211 and other documents/organisations to give all stakeholders up-to-date information with regard to protecting new and existing structures from the risk of radon ingress. With the threat that radon has to human health, it is important that all stakeholders, or any given project design team, use the guidance within this document and BR 211 to provide structures that are fit for purpose and safe for all to live/work within.
BR211 Guidance on protective measures for new buildings (including supplementary advice for extensions, conversions and refurbishment projects) 2023 edition.
This report gives guidance for reducing the concentration of radon in new buildings, extensions, conversions and refurbishment projects in order to reduce the risk to occupants of exposure to radon. It provides practical details on protective measures for both domestic and non-domestic buildings. This guide is intended for use in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. It supports building regulations for England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and building standards in Scotland. This guide was originally introduced in 1991 and amended in 1992, 1999, 2007 and 2015.