RIVM is starting an investigation into exposure to the harmful substances radon and thoron in the home. It sounds good, but what does it actually mean?
Radon and Thoron:What Are They?
Radon is a gas that occurs naturally everywhere. There are two forms of this gas:radon and thoron. They are radioactive substances. These substances can decay and then form radioactive substances again.
Radon and thoron in the house
In the open air, radon and thoron are always present, to a small extent. Radon and thoron are found in the soil and also in products made from the soil, such as building materials. The radiation of radon and thoron from houses mainly comes from building materials, a small part can enter the house through the crawl space or the outside air. Radiation can accumulate in homes, which means that there can be too much radiation indoors. The risk is small; but eventually this can cause lung cancer.
Research
It was thought that the level of radon and thoron in houses was not too bad, but in 2011 it turned out that this does not apply to all houses. In addition, it is difficult to distinguish radon and thoron from each other, thoron is often mistaken for radon. During the new research, 3,000 homes will be fitted with a special meter to measure the radiation.
Read more about radon and thoron on the RTL Nieuws website.
