A critical analysis of the UK local government response to radon

The Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH) has been campaigning for a more appropriate and sympathetic government approach to radon since 1987. Its professional members, Environmental Health Officers (EHOs), are at the “sharp end” of most initiatives aimed at securing higher levels of mitigation in both occupied dwellings and the majority of workplaces. Whilst Government policies on radon detection and remediation have so far emphasised mainly measurement and advice to affected householders, the CIEH will have to develop more appropriate campaign strategies to press Government to modify their initiatives so that a much more meaningful impact can be made in public protection terms to tackle the serious health risk still posed by radon in the UK.