Radon - Ministerial Response - 3 October 2014

Findings

Comments

1

Responsibility  for  radon  in Jersey is shared between several departments, with none taking a lead  on  radon  matters.  Perhaps partly as a result, very little effort has  been  put  into  investigating radon levels, following up survey findings  or  making  information on radon more widely available.

Radon  gas  can  pose  a  human  health  risk  and therefore  the  Minister  for  Health  and  Social Services  should  take  the  lead  on  radon  matters, supported by other departments.

The  Health  and  Social  Services  Department (H&SS) has carried out some testing.

Information  on  radon  is  available  on  the  States website.

http://www.gov.je/Environment/ProtectingEnviron

ment/Land/Contamination/Pages/Radon.aspx

2

Despite  consistent  results showing  that  many  homes  in Jersey  are  likely  to  exceed guideline  Target  and  Action levels for radon this information has not been fully explained to the general public.

While  there  is  always  an  opportunity  for  more communication  and  education,  information  on radon is available on the States website.

http://www.gov.je/Environment/ProtectingEnviron

ment/Land/Contamination/Pages/Radon.aspx

The  H&SS  department  has  also  produced  an information leaflet.

Findings

Comments

3

There appears to be no consistent message  to  encourage  all householders  to  have  their properties  tested  for  radon, despite  this  being  amongst  the recommendations  of  the  2012 report.

Information on radon published on the States of Jersey website states "we recommend that all buildings in Jersey are tested for radon levels."

4

Surveys  carried  out  since  1987 have been limited in scope and number.  Too  few  homes  have been tested to enable conclusive results and the types of property tested have been limited.

I believe that the surveys carried out have served to prove  that  all  of  the  Island  of  Jersey  should  be considered  a  radon  affected  area  and  it  is recommended that all buildings are tested for radon levels.

The Jersey Building Bye-laws (administered by the Department  of  the  Environment)  require  all  new homes  on  the  island  to  apply  radon  protection measures.

5

Measures  for  protecting  new homes against radon since 1997 have not been followed up with testing  to  ensure  that  they  are effective.

The radon measures required by Jersey's Building Bye-laws for new homes have been developed over many  years  by  an  independent  and  impartial research  establishment.  Tests  undertaken  by  that body have shown the measures adopted under the bye-laws will be effective if competently installed.

6

New workplaces are not required to  be  protected  against  radon, which  is  inconsistent  with  bye- laws  for  dwellings  and  would appear  to  be  a  worthwhile precaution.

The Health and Safety at Work (Jersey) Law 1989 (HSW Law) deals with health and safety matters in the work place. This includes measures to mitigate any risk from radon.

7

No action appears to have been taken  to  advise  homeowners about  the  possible  presence  of radon in private water supplies, or  to  carry  out  any  testing  to ascertain whether or not this may be a problem in specific areas.

H&SS should take the lead on radon gas in private water supplies as it is a naturally occurring gas and a potential health risk.

The additional testing of radon gas as part of the analysis  suit  for  private  water  supplies  analysis needs to be considered by the H&SS department.

The Department can assist H&SS with advice to householders  as  it  holds  an  address  list  for  all licensed and registered private water abstractions.

8

Potentially  increased  risks  of developing  lung  cancer associated  with  prolonged exposure to high levels of radon have  not  been  communicated adequately  to  homeowners, particularly  those  who  smoke and ex-smokers.

The  H&SS  department  need  to  consider  if additional communication needs to be undertaken.

Recommendations

To

Accept/ Reject

Comments

Target date of action/ completion

1

Information  about  radon measurements  in  Jersey should  be  brought  together in  a  consistent  format (ideally  representing  the annual  average  radon concentration)  to  enable analyses and comparisons to be made.

P&E H&SS SocSec

Reject

Radon  test  results  belong  to the  property  owners  and  the surveys  carried  out  by  the States  to  date  show  that comparisons  between properties  can  be  unreliable. Analysis  as  recommended  is unlikely  to  provide  any  real benefit.

Surveys  carried  out  to  date have served to prove that all of the Island of Jersey should be considered  a  radon  affected area.

2

Formal  advice  should  be published  recommending that  all  ground  floor  (or lower)  dwellings  on  Jersey should  be  tested  for  radon and  that  premises  with annual average indoor radon concentrations  above  the appropriate  Action  Level should be remediated.

P&E H&SS

Accept

Advice to this effect is already published  on  the  States website.

My department will work with the  H&SS  department  to review  the  current  advice given.

3

Discussions  should  be  held with the Jersey Law Society regarding  the  possibility  of including  questions  about radon  in  the  conveyancing process  associated  with  the sale  and  purchase  of  all buildings in Jersey.

P&E H&SS SocSec

Accept

My department will raise the matter  with  the  Jersey  Law Society  and  seek  its  views concerning  the  benefits  of including  questions  about radon  in  the  conveyancing process.

Q4 2015

4

Consideration  should  be given  to  the  benefits  of applying in Jersey, relevant aspects of the radon related requirements  contained  in the  2014  EU  Basic  Safety Standards.

P&E H&SS SocSec

Accept

My department will work with the  H&SS  department  and review  the  building  bye-law requirements  if  deemed necessary.

Recommendations

To

Accept/ Reject

Comments

Target date of action/ completion

5

The States should consider if workplaces with high public occupancy  (2,000  or  more hours per year) and schools should  use  the  protection standards  developed  for homes.

P&E H&SS SocSec

Accept

My department will work with the  H&SS  department  and review  the  building  bye-law requirements  if  deemed necessary.

6

Consideration  should  be given  to  including  radon protection  to  all  new buildings  and  extensions, refurbishments  and conversions.

P&E

Accept

A review of the building bye- law  standards  will  be undertaken  with  a  view  to extending the requirements.

Planned for 2015

7

Consideration  should  be given  to  amending  the Building  Bye-laws (Technical Document Part 4) to  clarify  the  level  of protection required.

P&E

Accept

The  technical  guidance document  will  be  revised  as part  of  the  ongoing programme in issuing periodic amendments  to  the  statutory guidance published in support of  the  building  bye-law requirements.

Planned for 2015

8

Consideration  should  be given  (depending  on  the outcome of recommendation

6) to updating the reference in  Technical  Document Part 4 to the latest version of the  Building  Research Establishment's  Report BR211 2007 Edition.

P&E

Accept

This will included as part of the  revisions  referred  to  in recommendation 7.

Planned for 2015

9

The States should consider a pilot  programme  to determine if radon in water is  a  significant  source  of exposure  in  homes  and workplaces.

P&E H&SS SocSec

Neither Reject or Accept

The  Department  of  the Environment regulates private water supplies with respect to pollution  (Water  Pollution (Jersey)  Law  2000)  and quantity  of  water  abstracted (Water  Resources  (Jersey) Law 2007). These laws do not regulate  naturally  occurring gases in water supplies, such as radon gas.

Furthermore,  as  this  matter relates  to  the  health  risks associated  to  radon  gas,  I believe  that  the  Minister  for

Recommendations

To

Accept/ Reject

Comments

Target date of action/ completion

Health  and  Social  Services should determine if testing of radon  in  water  is  necessary and lead such an initiative.

My  department  and  I  will support the H&SS department in  the  development  and regulation of control measures to reduce the risk of radon gas in water.

10

The States should publish a summary  policy  document on  radon  that  would  bring together all aspects of radon and the control of exposures to the population of Jersey in one  document.  The document  should  be  made easily  available  for distribution  to  all stakeholders.

P&E H&SS Soc.Sec

Accept

Improvements  to  the information leaflet and details currently  available  on  the States website can be made.

My department will work with the  H&SS  department  to review the advice published.

11

Detailed  radon  remedy information should be made available  to  all  households with  test  results  above Target levels, or on request.

A  list  of  qualified  builders and/or  some  form  of accreditation  scheme  may also  be  advisable  to  guide those  needing  remedial work.

P&E H&SS

Accept in part

Detailed advice is available on the  States  website  (includes link  to  www.gov.uk/radon) and is provided by the H&SS department.

My department and I are not aware  of  any  industry approved  scheme  for  the accreditation  of  radon remedial work.

12

The Minister for Health and Social  Services  should assume overall responsibility for  radon  protection measures  in  the  Island, assisting  householders  with advice  and  support  through the  Environmental  Health Department  and coordinating  any requirements  for  new  or amended  building  bye-laws with the Department of the Environment.

P&E H&SS Soc.Sec

Accept

The Minister for Planning and Environment and the Minister for Health and Social Services launched  the  Jersey  Air Quality  Strategy  in  February 2013, a joint initiative aimed at safeguarding air quality in Jersey. Indoor air quality was outside  of  the  scope  of  the Jersey  Air  Quality  Strategy 2012  which  focuses  on ambient  air  quality  (section 2.3).

However,  Policy  3  refers  to

Recommendations

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Target date of action/ completion

indoor  air  quality  in  the context of continuing existing practices.  It  contains  the following  actions  to  raise awareness by –

1. Working  with  the Development  Control and  Building  Control team to ensure planning permits  and  revised Building  Bye-laws  take into  account  indoor  air quality.

2. Ensuring  that  awareness of  air  quality  issues  is raised  with  the  Eco- Active  Business community  and  Eco- Active  States departments.

3. Supporting  the  Minister for  Health  and  Social Services  in  bringing forward  the  Public Health  (Dwellings) Legislation in 2013/14.

4. Maintaining  a  watching brief  to  monitor  the developments of the EU indoor  air  quality products  labelling initiative  and  indoor  air quality  directive  and  to consider the implications when  they  becomes available.

5. Continuing  to  highlight the need for householders and businesses to control radon levels in buildings.

The  Air  Quality  Action  Plan supports  the  Air  Quality Strategy and is led by H&SS. At the current time it does not include any specific actions on radon  but  this  is  due  for annual  review  in

Recommendations

To

Accept/ Reject

Comments

Target date of action/ completion

November 2014.

I believe it is correct that the Minister for Health and Social Services  assumes  overall responsibility  for  identifying new  measures  for  radon protection  measures,  given that  this  matter  relates  to human health.

My  department  and  I  will support the H&SS department in  the  development  and regulation of control measures to reduce the risk of radon gas and in the promotion of radon measures agreed.

13

The Minister for Health and Social  Services  should produce a plan to carry out a major  new  programme  for the  detection  and remediation  of  radon  in homes. Such plan to produce a significant increase in the number  of  homes  tested, particularly dwellings which may  be  likely  to  have increased  radon  levels, support  for  householders where  radon  Action  or Target Levels are exceeded and  assistance  to householders  to  undertake remediation  measures.  The plan  to  include  an appropriate  level  of  public funding to be determined in consultation  with  the Minister  for  Treasury  and Resources, and a scheme of financial  support  for  grants and loans to householders in appropriate circumstances.

H&SS

Neither Reject or Accept

I believe it is correct that the Minister for Health and Social Services  assumes  overall responsibility  for  radon protection  measures,  given that  this  matter  relates  to human health.

My  department  and  I  will support the H&SS department in  the  development  and regulation of control measures to reduce the risk of radon gas and in the promotion of radon measures agreed.

Surveys  carried  out  to  date have served to prove that all of the Island of Jersey should be considered  a  radon  affected area.  Further  testing  is unlikely  to  provide  any  real benefit.