THOUSANDS of Limerick families are putting their lives at risk by ignoring warnings about a potentially deadly gas.
Almost one in 10 Limerick homes which were tested for the killer gas, Radon, were found to have potentially harmful levels of the gas, which can cause lung cancer. But almost 90,000 houses in the city and county have gone untested.
A spokesperson for the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland has told the Limerick Post that one in ten of all homes tested in Limerick were considered to have high radon levels, putting their occupants at risk.
But just 1,300 houses have been tested across the city and county in comparison to more than 4,000 in neighbouring Clare.
The tests have identified parts of Newcastle West, Askeaton and Shannon where homes were found to be at risk or at high risk from the levels of the gas detected.
The spokesman pointed out, however, that huge areas of the city and county have never been tested. “The more we test, the more high levels we find but we can’t say whether an area is considered to be high in radon until people ask to have their houses tested.
“We really want to see more people have this simple test done because it is the only way the risk can be identified”.
Radon has no smell or taste, which is why special measuring detectors are used. These small devices are available from the RPII at a cost of about €50 and are sent by post. They are placed in the home for a minimum of three months and then sent back to the RPII where the levels can be read and a report prepared for the householder.
Depending on the levels found, the problem can be solved by better ventilation or by installing a sump, which is installed in a day and costs around €1,000.
The greatest health risk from radiation in Ireland is caused by radon. It accounts for 56 per cent of the total radiation dose received by the Irish population. Between 150 and 200 lung cancer deaths in Ireland every year can be linked to radon.
The RPII is based in Dublin and can be contacted on 01-2697766