Radon precautionary areas in Germany

If the ubiquitous radon accumulates inside homes, it can cause lung cancer. The federal states designate areas in Germany that are particularly affected by radon as radon precautionary areas in order to be able to intensify measures for protection against radon in these areas.

In radon precautionary areas, a high radon concentration is to be expected in significantly more buildings than in the national average; the reference value of 300 Becquerel per cubic metre in indoor air is exceeded with above-average frequency - about three times as often as the national average. Legal regulations therefore stipulate special requirements for protection against radon in new buildings and workplaces in these areas.

However, protection against radon is important not only in radon precautionary areas. Increased radon levels in buildings can also occur outside radon precautionary areas.

Federal states decide on radon precautionary areas

Based on various criteria, which are regulated inter alia in Section 153 of the Radiation Protection Ordinance, each federal state decides for itself which regions in its territory are radon precautionary areas. All federal states that specify radon precautionary areas were required to publish their decision in their respective official gazettes by the end of December 2020.

Anyone wishing to obtain more detailed information on the decision on radon precautionary areas in their federal state should contact the relevant state ministry or its competent state authorities – usually the environment ministries of the federal states. Detailed information on the radon precautionary areas of a federal state is available there:

Overview map of radon areas in Germany

As a service for a better overview for the whole of Germany, the BfS provides a map of all radon precautionary areas in Germany. The map is based on the publications of the federal states in their respective official gazettes as well as (press) information of the federal states on the designation of radon precautionary areas.

Notes on map

The BfS map is not legally binding and serves only as an illustration for the whole of Germany. Only the area designations and legally binding information of the federal states are authoritative.

Overview: Radon precautionary areas in Germany (as of June 15, 2021)