[The Hwankyung Ilbo] The average concentration of indoor radon was found to be 72.4 ㏃ / ㎥ in 7241 households (single, alliance, multi-family houses) across the country during the winter season from 2017 to 2018, according to the National Institute of Environmental Research under the Ministry of Environment.

The National Institute of Environmental Research investigates the distribution of radon in homes across the country in winter every two years from 2011 to identify areas where radon management is needed. This is the fourth survey.

The average concentration of 72.4 ㏃ / ㎥ confirmed in the fourth survey is lower than those of the three previous surveys (▷2011~2012, 124.9㏃/㎥ ▷2013~2014, 102.0㏃/㎥ ▷2015~2016, 95.4㏃/㎥).

The National Institute of Environmental Research believes this declining trend is due to improved ventilation habits of house dwellers surveyed.

In the fourth survey, the National Institute of Environmental Research conducted a questionnaire survey on 5,745 residents, and found that 2,557 people (45%) ventilated every day and 240 people (4%) did not ventilate every day.

In the previous first survey conducted on 4,203 residents, 1,066 people (25%) said they ventilated every day and 1,226 people (29%) said they did not ventilate.

In the fourth survey, 403 households (5.6% of the total households) exceeded the recommended indoor radon standard of 200 ㏃ / ㎥.

The government will further investigate areas with high radon concentrations, and establish a radon management plan to provide state support to local governments to push ahead with the reduction plan.

“The results of the nationwide survey on house radon are important as basic data to identify the distribution of indoor radon in Korea and to promote the policy to reduce radon exposure in the future,” said an official from the National Institute of Environmental Research. “Because indoor radon concentrations can be lowered sufficiently through ventilation, it is better to ventilate regularly to stay healthy.”

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