4. Radon Regulations in Europe
Although not the main focus of our review, radon in schools should be a concern in
any geographic region where levels are above those deemed to be safe. The EU
recently enacted a directive establishing 300 Bq/m 3 (~8.1 pCi/L) as a concentration
threshold for both dwellings and workplaces including schools in all European
Union countries [16,26]. In Ireland, for example, remedial work is required for any
occupied classroom or office where the radon levels are greater than 200
Bq/m 3 (~5.4 pCi/L) [27,28,29]. In a pilot study conducted in Spain, 46% of the
workplaces measured in Galicia had radon concentrations higher than 300 Bq/m 3 ,
followed by 10.6% in Madrid. Nineteen percent of all workers were exposed to
more than 300 Bq/m 3 , with 6.3% exposed to radon concentrations higher than 500
Bq/m 3 [26]. Nationwide radon maps based on indoor measurements have been
produced in countries such as the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Italy [4,30], which
may facilitate and optimize the search for schools with high radon concentrations
and to identify areas for special preventive actions during new construction
[4,13,31]. In Italy, the Legislative Decree 241/2000 set 500 Bq/m 3 as the highest
acceptable radon concentration in workplaces including schools [30]. With the
2013/59/Euratom Directive, the obligation is introduced for member countries to
periodically prepare and update a Radon National Plan in order to implement the set
of actions necessary to reduce the health risk associated with radon [30]. However,
it remains to be seen whether certain barriers may prevent some EU member
countries from fully complying with the Directive. In time, this Directive may serve
as a model for standardized national U.S. regulations as they apply to radon testing
and mitigation.
5. Challenges and Policy Recommendations
One of the biggest challenges related to radon exposure is the cost of testing and
mitigation. If conducted by licensed professionals, which is required in several
states, testing could cost $20–$50 per room, and the sub-slab depressurization, the
most common type of radon mitigation system, could cost between $2000 to $5000,
depending on characteristics of the building and the underlying soil [32]. This could
pose a substantial burden for some schools, school districts, and/or state agencies
that already are struggling to meet other mandatory regulations and maintain their
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