The costs of radon mitigation in domestic properties

The paper examines the costs of mitigating radon levels in domestic properties using data from the radon-affected county of Northamptonshire in the United Kingdom. Cost-effectiveness of mitigation is measured in terms of the total costs per lung cancers saved per year by mitigation expenditures. The results obtained match those reported in published theoretical estimates for proposed national mitigation programmes. Mitigation in domestic properties is shown to be more effective in reducing lung cancers than a mitigation programme designed for National Health Service workplaces in Northamptonshire, when all householders discovering radon levels above 300 Bequerels per cubic metre (Bq m(-3)) are assumed to implement mitigation strategies. In the United Kingdom, however, as elsewhere, only a small percentage of those finding raised radon levels proceed to mitigation. This reduces the effectiveness of mitigation programmes in domestic properties to levels matching those in the National Health Service workplaces. The paper confirms findings in studies from Europe and the United States that a significant proportion of householders with radon levels between 200 and 300 Bq m(-3) do not implement remedial work. The paper concludes with a range of policy proposals based on the results obtained.