Lewes District Council

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Environmental Health
Lewes District Council
Southover House
Southover Road
Lewes
East Sussex
BN7 1AB


Tel: 01273 484354
ehealth@lewes.gov.uk
Minicom 01273 484488

Find Southover House
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External Links

• The Radon Council Contractors List
• HPA: Radon Information
• UK Radon

Radon

Radon is a natural radioactive gas present in all parts of the UK, although the gas disperses outdoors so levels are generally very low.

You cannot see, hear, feel or taste Radon. It comes from the minute amounts of uranium that occur naturally in all rocks and soils. We all breathe it in throughout our lives - for most UK residents, radon accounts for half of their total annual radiation dosage. However, geological conditions in certain areas can lead to higher than average levels.

In Lewes District there are over 44,000 properties which are predicted to be in areas that exceed the Radon Action Level set by the Health Protection Agency. Exposure to particularly high levels of radon may increase the risk of developing lung cancer.

• HPA: Radon At A Glance
• HPA: Radon - Frequently Asked Questions

What should I do if I am concerned about radon?

The Health Protection Agency conducts radon surveys for government departments, local councils, other organisations, and private householders.

Small radon detectors can be sent directly to householders by post, and returned at the end of a three month period. Radon causes invisible damage to the plastic inside the detector. This damage can be measured and used to calculate the radon level. The householder is sent the result by letter.

• Health Protection Agency
• Telephone - 01235 822622 (office hours )
• HPA: Radon Home Measurement Service
  

How can radon levels be reduced?

There are a variety of techniques that can be employed to reduce radon levels in your property. Two such techniques are the use of specialist positive pressure units and retro-fitting a radon sump beneath the building.

Radon mitigation is a specialist service requiring an understanding of the science of radon movement. Some techniques, such as the use of extract fans to increase ventilation can in fact exacerbate the problem and cause greater volumes of the gas to be drawn into the property. It would therefore be unwise to place such responsibility in the hands of an unskilled contractor. A list of contractors approved by the Radon Council can be found at the Radon Council's website.

Given the nature of radon entry into buildings, radon should be viewed as something that needs to be managed, not simply to be ‘fixed’. Even with many years experience in dealing with radon mitigation, a specialist contractor may not always solve the problem at the first attempt. It is therefore imperative that a radon test is done after remediation works have been carried out to determine whether they have been effective. Where very high levels of radon have been found in a building, it may take several attempts and various combinations of techniques to sufficiently lower the concentration of the gas.