Radon Control Research Articles

Building radon-resistant homes in the U.S.: Strategy for the dissemination of the EPA model standards for control of radon in new residential buildings

Building radon-resistant homes in the U.S.: Strategy for the dissemination of the EPA model standards for control of radon in new residential buildings

Radon Entry Control in New House Construction

People exposed to high concentration levels of radon face an increased risk of developing lung cancer. The risk is directly proportional to the length and level of radon exposure. Because of health reasons, it is safer to build new houses with radon mitigation systems installed in slab-on-grade houses. However, the interrelationships between parameters and factors governing radon entry and control are highly complex. A study performed by the University of Florida has examined the effectiveness of different radon entry control approaches. The analysis was based on 47 houses from three research projects conducted by the University of Florida (14 houses), Florida Solar Energy Center (13 houses), and GEOMET Technologies (20 houses). The evaluation of the performance and effectiveness of improved floor slabs, space conditioning, and ventilating systems were analyzed. Statistical analyses of the interrelationship between various parameters were also performed. Study findings such as the important factors in reducing radon entry and the effectiveness of passive construction approach and active subslab depressurization systems are presented in this paper.

Radon Programme in the Netherlands: Risk Assessment and Risk Management

Abstract The Dutch policy on the control of the risk of radon is predominantly based on the results of the Radon Research Programme. Important topics of the Radon Research Programme are described. Furthermore, the Dutch policy on indoor radiation is reviewed in view of the national environmental policy and radiation risk management. The policy on the control of radon in domestic and other buildings is related to other policies, both national and international, e.g. economic, environmental and housing policy. A short review of these relations in the Netherlands is given. In brief a description will be given of the attention paid by the government to the communication strategies used in order to enforce, for instance, remedial actions and the implementation of risk reduction technology.

Radon Programme in the Netherlands: Risk Assessment and Risk Management

The Dutch policy on the control of the risk of radon is predominantly based on the results of the Radon Research Programme. Important topics of the Radon Research Programme are described. Furthermore, the Dutch policy on indoor radiation is reviewed in view of the national environmental policy and radiation risk management. The policy on the control of radon in domestic and other buildings is related to other policies, both national and international, e.g. economic, environmental and housing policy. A short review of these relations in the Netherlands is given. In brief a description will be given of the attention paid by the government to the communication strategies used in order to enforce, for instance, remedial actions and the implementation of risk reduction technology.

Model Standards and Techniques for Control of Radon in New Buildings

Abstract In response to a requirement in the Indoor Radon Abatement Act of 1988, The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has been developing 'Model Standards and Techniques for Control of Radon in New Buildings'. A draft of the Model Standards was developed in close co-operation with the building industry and disseminated for public comment in April 1993. A final Standard will be published by the end of 1993. This paper describes the recommended construction techniques and implementation procedures contained in the draft. Use of the recommended standards and techniques is linked to the potential for elevated radon levels that is predicted for different geographical areas of the United States. The paper emphasises the cost-effectiveness of building-in-radon-resistance in new homes, and highlights the use of construction techniques that many builders already use as standard building practice.

Model Standards and Techniques for Control of Radon in New Buildings

Model Standards and Techniques for Control of Radon in New Buildings

Risk Evaluation and Control Strategies for Indoor Radon: A Brief Discussion

Abstract Average risks of death estimated for radon are larger than those for many exposures in the outdoor environment, but similar to some in industrial settings. However, the indoor environment differs in regard to cost, benefit, responsibility, and distribution of risks from the outdoor and occupational settings, where frameworks for setting risk-limiting objectives and strategies have already been developed substantially. This indicates the need to develop a conceptual framework for evaluating risks in the outdoor environment, within which the objectives of radon control strategies can be sensibly chosen. Nevertheless, the range of estimated radon risks and of recent radon control strategies suggest near-term elements of any strategy, i.e. accurate and effective public information, as well as reliable monitoring and control capabilities, and a focus on areas where most high residential levels occur. Developing a conceptual framework for evaluating indoor risks will permit the formulation of suitable aims on average indoor exposures and lower exposure situations.

Radon and man-made vitreous fibers

Epidemiologic studies of miners have established a causal association between radon exposure and development of lung cancer. During the past decade the focus of attention has turned to the potential risks from exposure to radon in indoor air. Governmental involvement thus far has primarily been aimed at gathering further data and issuing voluntary guidelines for radon control in the indoor environment. The federal government's most recent risk assessment for exposure to indoor radon published in 1992 concluded that exposure to indoor radon results in 13,600 radon-induced lung cancer deaths in the United States each year. As public awareness of such environmental issues continues to grow, physicians will be faced with the need to respond to inquiries regarding potential health effects. Man-made vitreous fibers are silicate glass that have a noncrystalline structure. They have been in production for more than 100 years and are used in numerous applications in residential and commercial settings. The health risks from man-made vitreous fibers that are used in residential and commercial settings are limited to skin and occasional respiratory tract irritation under circumstances of improper installation or maintenance. When glass fiber contaminates an indoor environment, proper repair measures and thorough cleaning of the indoor environment will lead to resolution of any resultant irritant symptoms. (J ALLERGYCLINIMMUNOL1994;94:310-7.)

Radon and man-made vitreous fibers

Epidemiologic studies of miners have established a causal association between radon exposure and development of lung cancer. During the past decade the focus of attention has turned to the potential risks from exposure to radon in indoor air. Governmental involvement thus far has primarily been aimed at gathering further data and issuing voluntary guidelines for radon control in the indoor environment. The federal government's most recent risk assessment for exposure to indoor radon published in 1992 concluded that exposure to indoor radon results in 13,600 radon-induced lung cancer deaths in the United States each year. As public awareness of such environmental issues continues to grow, physicians will be faced with the need to respond to inquiries regarding potential health effects. Man-made vitreous fibers are silicate glass that have a noncrystalline structure. They have been in production for more than 100 years and are used in numerous applications in residential and commercial settings. The health risks from man-made vitreous fibers that are used in residential and commercial settings are limited to skin and occasional respiratory tract irritation under circumstances of improper installation or maintenance. When glass fiber contaminates an indoor environment, proper repair measures and thorough cleaning of the indoor environment will lead to resolution of any resultant irritant symptoms. (J ALLERGYCLINIMMUNOL1994;94:310-7.)

The Radon Research Programme of the Commission of the European Communities

More than 10 years ago, the Radiation Protection Research Programme of the Commission of the European Communities initiated and supported research to understand better the impact of natural radioactivity and, more especially, radon. In the present 1990-1991 programme, emphasis is given to the study of parameters and processes underlying the level of exposure to radon with the aim of increasing our understanding of the physical and biological processes and to develop practical cost-effective remedial actions. The recommendations of the Commission and radon control policies in the Member States will also be presented and discussed.

BOOK REVIEWS

BOOK REVIEWS Get access The Risks from Radon in Homes. H.H.S.C. Handbook No. 5. H and H Scientific Consultants Ltd, Leeds, 1990. (ISBN 0 948237 04 X.) 38 pp. Price Surface mail £13.00; Airmail £17.00; U.S. $34.00. C. S. BOWRING C. S. BOWRING Radon Control Ltd35 Exeter Street, North Tawton, Devon EX20 2HB, U.K. Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic PubMed Google Scholar The Annals of Occupational Hygiene, Volume 35, Issue 5, October 1991, Pages 564–565, https://doi.org/10.1093/annhyg/35.5.564 Published: 01 October 1991

Effectiveness of Radon Control Techniques in Fifteen Homes

Radon control systems were installed and evaluated in fourteen homes in the Spokane River Valley/Rathdrum Prairie and in one home in Vancouver, Washington. Because of local soil conditions, subsurface ventilation (SSV) by pressurization was always more effective in these houses than SSV by depressurization in reducing indoor radon levels to below guidelines. Basement overpressurization was successfully applied in five houses with airtight basements where practical-sized fans could develop an overpressure of 1 to 3 Pascals. Crawlspace ventilation was more effective than crawlspace isolation in reducing radon entry from the crawlspace, but had to be used in conjunction with other mitigation techniques, since the houses also had basements. Indoor radon concentrations in two houses with air-to-air heat exchangers (AAHX) were reduced to levels inversely dependent on the new total ventilation rates and were lowered even further in one house where the air distribution system was modified. Sealing penetrations in the below-grade surfaces of substructures was relatively ineffective in controlling radon. Operation of the radon control systems (except for the AAHX's) made no measureable change in ventilation rates or indoor concentrations of other measured pollutants. Installation costs by treated floor area ranged from approximately $4/m2 for sealing to $28/m2 for the AAHX's. Based on the low electric rates for the region, annual operating costs for the active systems were estimated to be approximately $60 to $170.

Performance of radon control systems

Of five types of radon control techniques installed in seven New Jersey houses with basements, systems based on subsurface ventilation (SSV) by depressurization were the most effective and suitable for the long-term reduction of indoor radon levels. Small seasonal variations in substructure radon levels were observed in several houses while SSV systems were operating and may be due, in part, to changes in substructure ventilation rates from below 0.2 h −1 to approximately 0.4 h −1. Effective permeabilities for near-house materials measured at SSV pipes were an order of magnitude larger (geometric mean (GM) of 4.1 × 10 −9m 2) than the permeabilities of surrounding soils (GM of 1.5 × 10 −10m 2). Below-grade substructure surfaces appeared to have large air leakage areas as indicated by high entrainment fractions (0.41–0.92) of basement air in SSV exhausts. These leakage areas probably increased the effective permeabilities and influenced SSV flows and pressure field extensions. By sealing accessible leakage openings, greater depressurization below the slab during SSV operation was achieved in several houses, although indoor radon levels were not affected. In two houses, heating and cooling air distribution equipment caused additional substructure depressurizations ranging from 1.1 Pa to 5.4 Pa, but did not compromise radon reduction by SSV systems. Installation costs for SSV systems averaged $2270, while estimated annual energy costs to operate fan-driven radon control systems ranged from $85 for houses with oil heating to $250 for electrically heated houses.

Control of Radon in Houses

Control of Radon in Houses

Multiple stable integrals of Banach-valued functions

This paper extends results of Samorodnitsky and Szulga(15) to separable Banach spacesS of Rademacher-typep≥1. Let $$I_n (f) = \smallint _{R^n } f(x_1 ,...,x_n )M(dx_1 ) \cdots M(dx_n )$$ be an integral of ordern with respect to a symmetric α-stable random measureM, α<p, with a Radon control measurem, and letf:Rn→S be a symmetric deterministic function vanishing on the diagonals. If ‖f‖ satisfies a given integrability condition, theIn(f) is well defined and $$P(||I_n (f)|| > \lambda ) \sim C_{\alpha ,n} (f) \lambda ^{ - \alpha } (\ln \lambda )^{n - 1} $$ as λ→∞. In the casen=2 andS=R, the integrability condition reduces to the known necessary and sufficient condition of Rosinski and Woyczynski(13) and Kwapien and Woyczynski.(16) The paper concludes with some applications.

Short and long term indoor radon concentrations in buildings with different ventilation systems

Abstract Periodical long term radon measurements indicated that, in addition to the ventilation rate, the stability of ventilation is of great importance when control of radon is concerned. Increasing ventilation increased negative pressure inside both buildings with mechanical ventilation. Consequently, short term levels of radon were highest during the periods of maximum ventilation rate. The increasing effect of instability of ventilation to indoor radon is explained to be due to fluctuation of negative pressure inside a house.

Theoretical Evaluation of Indoor Radon Control Using a Carbon Adsorption System

The conceptual framework for a carbon-based adsorption system for the control of indoor radon is presented. Based on the adsorptivity of typically available activated carbons, it is shown theoretically that carbon bed adsorbers can be effective in lowering indoor radon levels particularly when the area of radon ingress (the basement) has a relatively low exchange rate with the rest of the house.

The Value of Monitoring for Radon in the Home: A Decision Analysis

In light of the recent publicity about the adverse health effects of radon gas, many citizens and government officials are considering whether or not to monitor for radon in homes. This paper presents a formal decision analysis of the monitoring dilemma from the perspective of hypothesized homeowners. The analysis considers the costs of radon monitoring and control, the carcinogenic risks of radon exposure, the demographics of household size, and a hypothetical homeowner's knowledge of radon exposure levels—with and without the benefit of specific monitoring data. Since monitoring every home in the United States would be quite expensive, the analysis reveals some more efficient monitoring strategies that might be employed by citizens and government officials. While the paper presents a new analytic perspective in the monitoring problem, the results should not be considered definitive. Further study is necessary to clarify precisely what is known about radon exposure, health effects, and control strategies.

Industrial hygiene is a viable profession.

All of the criteria selected to measure the performance of our profession are positive and collectively proclaim our profession to be very viable. Phenomenal successes have occurred during its less than a century emergence. It is especially important that the next decades of practice continue this acceleration and not level off into complacency, a period of expanded practice but, essentially, in applying the same already-established methods of practice. Such stagnation could seriously hinder our effectiveness, our technical growth in the application of our special knowledge and skills, and our outreach to newer technologies and their milieu. Should this happen, newer sciences and professionals will emerge to fill the void instead of our profession solving attendant problems. As discussed under the section on definition, our practice is extending beyond plant boundaries. Programs such as identifying asbestos and other hazardous construction material with their removal and decontamination, radon identification and control in homes, and indoor contamination problems are areas where industrial hygiene techniques and procedures are directly involved. Industrial hygienists are obviously participating in these programs, and without fanfare. Should newer areas be more formally recognized and incorporated into the definition of industrial hygiene practice, it is appropriate to ask if the term industrial hygiene is sufficiently and firmly established to identify such to public, legislative, and other bodies, or could another more suitable term be used? We should keep in mind that protecting worker health is the mainstay of our profession. Our science and supporting bodies which have brought us to our present recognition and state of excellence should remain intact both in fact and in principle.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Radon Control and Remedies in Buildings

Abstract The Government in the UK has decided that remedial action to reduce exposure from radon daughters in existing houses should be taken where the annual effective dose equivalent exceeds an Action Level of 20 mSv. Future houses should be designed so that the annual dose from radon daughters does not exceed an Upper Bound of 5 mSv. The Ionising Radiations Regulations 1985 impose statutory control on exposure to radon daughters in the workplace. Field and laboratory studies of effective methods to reduce radon concentrations in buildings in the UK are in progress. An account of this work is presented.