Radon in Belgium: Mapping and Mitigation in the Affected Area of Visé

Abstract

The massif of Visé is well known by geologists for its special geological features, in particular the great abundance (N>30) of important uranium anomalies. The measuring campaigns conducted over the past years in several hundreds of houses resulted in a detailed radon map with clear indication of risk areas. Based upon the available information some 160 houses (2% of the building stock) are expected to have real radon problems (>400 Bq.m-3). Up to now 24 of these problem houses have been localised. Three of the most contaminated houses (>3000 Bq.m-3 in the living areas) have been studied in detail for mitigation purposes. In two of them sub-floor ventilation has been installed. In this way the original high levels were reduced by more than a factor of ten.

Qualitative overview of indoor radon surveys in Europe

“…Results of descriptive statistic were presented in 55 papers, describing the analysis of measurement results from 39 countries In 27 papers, covering the results of surveys in Albania, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Malta, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and Ukraine, authors used the obtained average values to assess the percentile, or number of houses where the indoor radon concentration exceeded some predetermined levels (Andersen et al, 2001; Baluci et al, 2013; Bochicchio et al, 2005; Bode Tushe et al, 2016; Cinelli et al, 2011; Cucoş (Dinu) et al, 2017; Hoffmann et al, 2017; Ivanova et al, 2013; Jensen et al, 2004; Kemski et al, 2004; Nikolopoulos et al, 2002; Pavlenko et al, 2014; Poffijn et al, 1994; Sainz Fernández et al, 2017; Stoop et al, 1998; Swedjemark, 2002; Swedjemark et al, 1993; Tondeur et al, 1997; Valmari et al, 2010; Vicanova et al, 1998; Vukotic et al, 2018; Weltner et al, 2002; Yaroshevich et al, 2012; Z.S. Žunić et al, 2010a, Žunić et al, 2010b; Žunić et al, 2009).…”

“…In most cases, the results were depicted in the form of mean radon risk map, which integrates a variety of data available, including geological maps, radon maps, grids or measured points and administrative boundaries. Maps were produced in papers covering the survey in Austria (Friedmann, 2005), Azerbaijan (Hoffmann et al, 2017), Belgium (Cinelli et al, 2011; Poffijn et al, 1994; Tondeur et al, 1997; Zhu et al, 2001), Cyprus (Theodoulou et al, 2012), Denmark (Andersen et al, 2001), Finland (Weltner et al, 2002), Iceland (Jónsson et al, 2015), Italy (Bochicchio et al, 2005), Latvia (Dambis, 1996), Macedonia (Stojanovska et al, 2012), Malta (Baluci et al, 2013), Norway (Jensen et al, 2004), Portugal (Faisca et al, 1992), Romania (Cucoş (Dinu) et al, 2017), Russia (Zhukovsky et al, 2012), Slovenia (Humar et al, 1995; Križman et al, 1996), Spain (Sainz Fernández et al, 2017), Switzerland (Kropat et al, 2014) and UK (Daraktchieva et al, 2015; Miles et al, 2007, 2011).…”

“…National surveys were conducted in 22 EU countries: Austria (Friedmann, 2005) Croatia (Radolić et al, 2006), Czech Republic (Hůlka, 2014; Slezáková et al, 2013; Thomas et al, 2004), Denmark (Andersen et al, 2007, 2001), Estonia (Pahapill et al, 2003), Finland (Valmari et al, 2010; Weltner et al, 2002), France (Gambard et al, 2000; Rannou et al, 2006), Greece (Nikolopoulos et al, 2002), Hungary (Hámori et al, 2006; Nikl, 1996), Ireland (Dowdall et al, 2017; Fennell et al, 2002), Italy (Bochicchio et al, 2005; Carelli et al, 2009), Lithuania (Morkunas and Akelbrom, 1999), Luxembourg (Kies et al, 1997), Malta (Baluci et al, 2013), Netherlands (Lembrechts et al, 2001; Stoop et al, 1998), Poland (Przylibski et al, 2011), Portugal (Faisca et al, 1992), Slovakia (Vicanova et al, 1998; Vladár et al, 1996), Slovenia (Humar et al, 1995; Križman et al, 1996), Spain (Sainz Fernández et al, 2017), Sweden (Swedjemark, 2002; Swedjemark et al, 1993), United Kingdom (Daraktchieva et al, 2015; Miles et al, 2007, 2011). Only regional surveys were identified in 5 member states: Belgium (Cinelli et al, 2011; Poffijn et al, 1994; Tondeur et al, 1997; Zhu et al, 2001, 1998), Bulgaria (Ivanova et al, 2013), Cyprus (Anastasiou et al, 2003; Theodoulou et al, 2012), Germany (Kemski et al, 2004, 1996), Latvia (Dambis, 1996), Romania (Cucoş (Dinu) et al, 2017). Outside the EU, national surveys were conducted in Azerbaijan (Hoffmann et al, 2017), Belarus (Yaroshevich et al, 2012), Iceland (Jónsson et al, 2015), Macedonia (Stojanovska et al, 2012), Montenegro (Vukotic et al, 2018), Russia (Yarmoshenko et al, 2015), Serbia (Udovičić et al, 2016), Switzerland (Kropat et al, 2014), Ukraine (Pavlenko et al, 2014) and Norway (Jensen et al, 2004).…”