Radon affected areas in the Suffolk Coastal district

Radon is a natural radioactive gas, which enters buildings from the ground where it is formed from the minute amounts of uranium that occur naturally in all rocks and soils.

Radon levels indoors depend on the concentration of radon in the ground, details of construction of the house, and the way the house is heated and ventilated. Levels can vary widely between apparently identical houses. The only way to find out whether there is a high level in a particular house is to measure it.

Indoor radon has been found to be the second most important cause of lung cancer after smoking. Although levels in most homes are low, the concentrations exceed the action level of 200 Becquerels per cubic metre in a significant number of homes. At this level it is recommended that remedial action is taken to reduce radon levels.

There are two types of radon area in the Suffolk Coastal district; a 'radon affected area', where more than 1% of homes are estimated to have levels of radon at or above the radon action level, and a 'radon protection area', where radon protection measures are required in new and altered buildings.

Advice for homeowners, indicative maps and radon risk reports

The Health Protection Agency website has information about radon in the home and details of their radon measurement services:

• Health Protection Agency website (new window)

More information is available from the UKradon website which is run by the British Geological Survey and the Health Protection Agency:

• UKradon website (new window)
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• Indicative map of radon affected areas (new window)

The website offers the following online services:

• Order a radon risk report for existing properties (new window)
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• Order a home measurement pack (new window)

The Health Protection Agency has a radon helpline on 01235 822622 or email radon@hpa.org.uk

Radon protection measures in new and existing buildings

The Building Research Establishment's (BRE) radon website has advice on how to reduce radon levels in buildings, offers guidance on the Building Regulations requirements for protecting new buildings in radon affected areas and has indicative maps defining areas where radon protective measures may be required in new buildings and extensions to existing buildings.

• BRE radon website (new window)
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• BRE maps defining areas where radon protective measures may be required (new window)
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• Order a British Geological Survey radon report (new window) - indicates the requirement for radon protective measures for building sites.
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• Order a radon risk report for existing properties (new window) - provides information on whether existing properties are in areas where radon protective measures are required.

The BRE has a radon helpline on 01923 664707 or email radon@bre.co.uk.