News

Workshop entitled ‘Harmonisation of radon measurement methodologies and radon priority areas’ draws 100 delegates

The project

EMPIR project ‘Metrology for radon monitoring’ (16ENV10, MetroRADON) is working to provide traceable measurement and new calibration procedures for the monitoring of radon. The overall objective of the project is to enable traceable monitoring at low radon activity concentrations in support of the European Council directive 2013/59/EURATOM (EU-BSS).

As part of the first European Radon Week in February 2020, the EMPIR project consortium organised a workshop entitled ‘Harmonisation of radon measurement methodologies and radon priority areas’ at BEV in Vienna. In three workshops held together by the European Radon Association, Joint Research Center and MetroRADON national authorities, the scientific radon community, industry and all other experts interested in radon were invited to discuss up-to-date topics related to radon.

All 100 places at the workshop were filled, with the participants showing great interest in the field.

At the MetroRADON workshop the results of the EMPIR project were presented and discussed, focusing on the comparison and harmonisation of radon surveys, measurement methodologies and concepts and plans for radon priority areas in Europe. Also, the influence of thoron on radon measurements were addressed.

A new patent on an improved measurement method recently developed within the project and its applications was presented. The final discussion with the stakeholders was used to gather new ideas and to identify future needs of radon research beyond the MetroRADON project.

Workshop program and presentations

The main topics presented to the participants and discussed in an open forum were:

• thoron bias to radon measurements and use of different materials/techniques to reduce the influence of thoron on end-user measurements
• results and discussion of reliable and traceable calibration methods for low activity concentration radon measurement instruments and detectors,
• the exchange of different radon mapping strategies applied in European countries and the introduction and successful application of the MetroRADON geogenic radon hazard index supporting the implementation of the EU Radiation Protection Directive,
• the need for future research on European harmonised traceable measurement and modelling methods to prove the compliance with the radon-222 activity concentration reference level given by the EU Member States’ radiation protection legislations,
• the low radon awareness in the European population, impacts, education and whether radon education should be a part of the regular curriculum in schools.

This EMPIR project is co-funded by the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme and the EMPIR Participating States.

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