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Related Experiment Videos

Cost-benefit analyses of radon mitigation projects.

Mads Lyngby Petersen1, Thommy Larsen

  • 1Environmental Assessment Institute, Gammel Kongevej 5, 1 floor, Copenhagen V., Denmark. mlp@imv.dk

Journal of Environmental Management
|April 18, 2006
PubMed
Summary

Government intervention to reduce radon gas in Danish homes is not socio-economically favorable. The high costs of remediation outweigh the estimated health benefits of averting lung cancer deaths.

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Area of Science:

  • Environmental Health
  • Public Health Policy
  • Risk Assessment

Background:

  • Radon is a radioactive gas linked to lung cancer.
  • Danish regulations suggest remediation for radon levels between 200-400 Bqm(-3) and above 400 Bqm(-3).
  • 4.6% of Danish dwellings exceed the reference radon level, with a lognormal distribution (GM=57.7, GSD=2.28).

Purpose of the Study:

  • To conduct a cost-benefit analysis of governmental intervention against radon in existing Danish homes.
  • To determine the socio-economic viability of reducing radon exposure to prevent lung cancer deaths.

Main Methods:

  • Cost-benefit analysis of a proposed governmental radon mitigation program.
  • Evaluation of remediation costs versus health benefits (Value of Preventing a Statistical Fatality).

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  • Sensitivity analysis using varying discount rates and VPF values.

    • Main Results:

    • Intervention averts fewer than 30 deaths annually, while 300 die from radon exposure yearly in Denmark.
    • Total costs exceed estimated health benefits by €62 million at a 6% discount rate.
    • Current remediation costs in Denmark are relatively high compared to other countries.

    Conclusions:

    • Reducing radon levels in existing Danish homes is not socio-economically favorable under current assumptions.
    • The conclusion is sensitive to discount rates, the value of preventing fatalities, and remediation costs.
    • Alternative economic scenarios (lower discount rate, higher VPF, lower costs) could alter the cost-benefit outcome.