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I have never heard of radon as a domestic health concern (40+, have owned multiple houses). Does this vary by country or relate to mitigation industries in a lo

by prawn 1y ago

I have never heard of radon as a domestic health concern (40+, have owned multiple houses). Does this vary by country or relate to mitigation industries in a locale?

WorkerBee28474 1y ago
It varies by the amount of uranium underneath you. So yes, by country/state/province/etc.
- prawn 1y ago
  Australia has the largest uranium reserves, but I've never heard radon mentioned here as a concern, so I assume it just comes down to the reserves being very specifically located.
  - astura 1y ago
    I guess it's not much of a concern in Australia, I guess. https://www.arpansa.gov.au/understanding-radiation/radiation-sources/more-radiation-sources/radon-map https://www.arpansa.gov.au/understanding-radiation/radiation... >In 1990, ARPANSA conducted a nationwide survey of more than 3300 Australian homes to determine the radiation dose to the Australian population from exposure to natural background radiation, including radon. Based on this survey, the average concentration of radon in Australian homes is about 10 Bq m⁻³. This is less than in many other countries and compares to a global average indoor value of 40 Bq m⁻³. Average radon levels in Australian homes are only a little larger than the radon levels in outside air and are of minimal concern to health.
  - WorkerBee28474 1y ago
    It's a concern for miners, but not normal homes. Also radon often concentrates in basements, and you don't have those.
- astura 1y ago
  I heard that even houses next door to each other can have different amounts of radon.
daemonologist 1y ago
It varies with geology yes, produced by the radioactive decay chains of U-238 and Th-232. https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2408084121 https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2408084121 If I recall correctly it can accumulate more readily in basements, so that's another factor. The house I grew up in had an exhaust system installed due to elevated radon levels.
degamad 1y ago
Varies by geography, so yeah, by country as well. It's a major issue in the US as per the comments in this thread, but here in Australia, almost the entire country[0] has indoor radon levels at 5% or less of the concern threshold level[1]. A few people near certain industries may need to be concerned, but it's not the issue it is in the US. [0] https://www.arpansa.gov.au/understanding-radiation/radiation-sources/more-radiation-sources/radon-map https://www.arpansa.gov.au/understanding-radiation/radiation... [1] https://www.arpansa.gov.au/understanding-radiation/radiation-sources/more-radiation-sources/radon https://www.arpansa.gov.au/understanding-radiation/radiation...

by prawn 1y ago

I have never heard of radon as a domestic health concern (40+, have owned multiple houses). Does this vary by country or relate to mitigation industries in a locale?

WorkerBee28474 1y ago

It varies by the amount of uranium underneath you. So yes, by country/state/province/etc.

prawn 1y ago
Australia has the largest uranium reserves, but I've never heard radon mentioned here as a concern, so I assume it just comes down to the reserves being very specifically located.
- astura 1y ago
  I guess it's not much of a concern in Australia, I guess. https://www.arpansa.gov.au/understanding-radiation/radiation-sources/more-radiation-sources/radon-map https://www.arpansa.gov.au/understanding-radiation/radiation... >In 1990, ARPANSA conducted a nationwide survey of more than 3300 Australian homes to determine the radiation dose to the Australian population from exposure to natural background radiation, including radon. Based on this survey, the average concentration of radon in Australian homes is about 10 Bq m⁻³. This is less than in many other countries and compares to a global average indoor value of 40 Bq m⁻³. Average radon levels in Australian homes are only a little larger than the radon levels in outside air and are of minimal concern to health.
- WorkerBee28474 1y ago
  It's a concern for miners, but not normal homes. Also radon often concentrates in basements, and you don't have those.
astura 1y ago
I heard that even houses next door to each other can have different amounts of radon.

daemonologist 1y ago

It varies with geology yes, produced by the radioactive decay chains of U-238 and Th-232. https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2408084121 https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2408084121 If I recall correctly it can accumulate more readily in basements, so that's another factor. The house I grew up in had an exhaust system installed due to elevated radon levels.

degamad 1y ago

Varies by geography, so yeah, by country as well. It's a major issue in the US as per the comments in this thread, but here in Australia, almost the entire country[0] has indoor radon levels at 5% or less of the concern threshold level[1]. A few people near certain industries may need to be concerned, but it's not the issue it is in the US. [0] https://www.arpansa.gov.au/understanding-radiation/radiation-sources/more-radiation-sources/radon-map https://www.arpansa.gov.au/understanding-radiation/radiation... [1] https://www.arpansa.gov.au/understanding-radiation/radiation-sources/more-radiation-sources/radon https://www.arpansa.gov.au/understanding-radiation/radiation...