Poor knowledge of the health risks of radon in buildings

3,000 people surveyed about radon

The radioactive gas radon can occur in any building, resulting in an increased risk of lung cancer for the building's residents or people who work there. Nevertheless, few people are aware of the harmful effects of radon or its presence in buildings – and barely anyone has given thought to taking radon measurements within their own four walls. These are the findings of a recent study on the perception of radon risk that was carried out on behalf of the Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS) as part of departmental research by the Federal Ministry for the Environment and Consumer Protection (BMUV).

Knowledge of radon is only superficial

For the study, entitled "Survey of how the German population deals with radon as a basis for risk communication and reinforcement of protective behaviour", 3,000 people in Germany were surveyed online about their knowledge of radon. In total, 58% of study participants said they had heard the term "radon" before: 23% were sure and 35% thought that they had heard or read about radon before. In a multiple-choice question, 39% of respondents correctly identified radon as a radioactive element.

Although, at first glance, these figures appear to point to considerable awareness of radon, this knowledge turned out to be quite superficial: in a multiple-choice question with several correct responses, only 24% of those who had heard about radon before stated correctly that radon can occur in the basements of buildings. Even fewer people from this group were aware that the radioactive gas also occurs on ground floors (14%) and on higher floors (5%). In other words, almost no one draws a connection between radon and their own residential or work situation.

Radon measurements are largely unheard of

Following initial questions regarding their general awareness of radon, the study participants were given a brief explanation of what radon is, where it occurs and of the fact that it can lead to lung cancer. Once equipped with this basic knowledge, 27% of respondents said they had already heard that radon can be measured in buildings.

However, 87% of respondents had never given any thought to determining the radon concentration in their own home, and just 1% had already taken measurements. Nevertheless, 2% said that someone in their professional or private sphere had previously taken radon measurements.

There is also poor awareness of the effort and cost involved in taking radon measurements, with 10% saying they thought radon measurements are a lot of effort and 12% that they are expensive – neither of which is the case. The majority of people didn't feel capable of evaluating these aspects.

Bolstering education around radon

President of the Federal Office for Radiation Protection, Dr Inge Paulini

"After smoking, radon is one of the most common causes of lung cancer – and one that you can easily protect yourself against. By taking radon measurements, it's easy to determine whether you’re subject to increased radon concentrations and should do something about it," explains BfS President Inge Paulini. "The study shows that this knowledge is still nowhere near widespread enough."

"Everybody should be in a position to make an informed decision about whether or not to have radon measurements taken in their home or business. That is only possible if there is general awareness that radon is a health risk and that it is easy and cheap to measure," says Paulini.

"This is primarily a task for federal and state authorities, which must continue with and further expand their efforts to educate people about radon. After all, the study also shows that people place particular trust in government institutions, compared with other sources of information, when it comes to radon."

Radon increases the risk of lung cancer

Kellerraum Source: annebel146/Stock.adobe.com

Radon is a radioactive gas that is present in differing quantities in soil all over Germany. It can enter buildings through leaks in parts of buildings that are in contact with the ground, and from there it can enter the air that people breathe. If an individual regularly spends time in rooms with an elevated radon concentration in breathed air over a period of years or decades, they are at greater risk of developing lung cancer.

It is easy to determine whether a building has elevated radon levels by taking measurements. The BfS explains how this works here: www.bfs.de/radon-messen. Frequent ventilation is one initial measure that can help to tackle elevated radon levels, and structural measures can bring about a permanent reduction in the radon concentration.

About the study

For the recent study, 3,000 people living in Germany were surveyed online from 5 October to 15 November 2021. The survey is representative of the internet-using population aged 18 or over. The study was carried out by Gesellschaft für Innovative Marktforschung (GIM) on behalf of the BfS as part of departmental research by the BMUV.