Like every year at this time, the federal nuclear control agency (AFCN) launches its prevention campaign against radon, this carcinogenic natural gas which infiltrates homes. If citizens are asked to measure the radon level in their homes, building professionals will be encouraged to “play a key role in reducing exposure” to this radioactive gas.
“It is imperative that building professionals become aware of the importance of integrating radon prevention devices from the design of construction projects,” insists Boris Dehandschutter, radon expert from the AFCN cited in a press release. “Poor management of this risk can have consequences for the health of occupants”, while radon is considered the second cause of lung cancer, after smoking.
Construction professionals are invited to a morning of training on radon management on November 29. Sanitation and prevention techniques will be covered in particular. “Well-designed buildings, constructed or renovated with appropriate techniques, can significantly limit the penetration of this gas into interior spaces,” maintains the AFCN.
For their part, citizens are asked to measure, between October 1 and December 31 and for a cost of 15 euros, the radon concentration in their home using a detector. The device should be placed in the most frequented room in the house. It records measurements for three months, before being sent for analysis. If the European reference level of 300 Becquerel per cubic meter (300 Bq/m³) is exceeded, several remediation methods to reduce the radon concentration are then proposed.
