The Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS) draws attention to the harmful effects of the radioactive gas radon, which can occur in any building. In the study "Recording how the German population deals with radon as a basis for risk communication and strengthening protective behavior" with 3,000 respondents, the Bfs had previously found that although radon is known, knowledge about the radioactive gas is limited.
Only 5 percent of respondents who had heard of radon knew that it can also be found on higher floors of buildings. 14 percent of this group knew that radon can be found on first floors and 24 percent of this group knew that the radioactive gas can also be found in the basements of buildings. Only 2 percent of the total respondents stated that someone in their private or professional environment had already measured the radon concentration.
According to the BfS, radon is one of the most common causes of lung cancer after smoking. "With a radon measurement, it is easy to determine whether you are affected by increased radon concentrations and should do something about it", explains BfS President Inge Paulini, "the study shows that this knowledge is still far too little widespread". According to the BfS, radon measurements cost between 30 and 50 euros. The website bfs.de describes which providers offer measuring devices and how they work.
Source and further information: bfs.de
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