Magdeburg (dpa/sa) - A radon measurement program for private households in Saxony-Anhalt is met with great interest. The Environment Ministry announced on Friday in Magdeburg that all 900 available measurement boxes have been assigned. By the end of the month, they are to be sent to households that have previously expressed an interest via an Internet portal. The small boxes can be used to measure exposure to the noble gas radon, which can damage the lungs in high concentrations. The gas escapes from the earth in parts of the Harz Mountains and the southern Harz foothills and can accumulate in living spaces.
The measuring boxes should be laid out in the living room and bedroom for one year. A contained plastic changes under the influence of radon. After one year, the boxes should be sent back for evaluation. The participants then learn about the results and whether they need to take action. It is possible to air the room more frequently, seal the door to the basement or, in extreme cases, have a structural change made.
Those who didn't get anything from this year's program can find out more about providers of measurement services on the website of the Federal Office for Radiation Protection. However, the offers of the providers are not free of charge. The ministry also announced that the price range is currently between 30 and 50 euros per measurement.
In the coming year, external measurements are to be carried out in other municipalities in the state in order to be able to assess possible risks more precisely and to be able to better inform and advise the population there.
