The European Council Directive 2013/59/EURATOM (EU-BSS) evokes new challenges for the metrology of radon measurements and calibrations in Europe. For the first time, the exposure of the public caused by radon will be part of legal metrology in Europe. Since the EU member states’ levels of relevant activity concentration that are laid down in the EU-BSS shall not exceed 300 Bq/m3, new calibration procedures for existing commercial radon monitors with their limited counting statistics have to be developed.
The JRP will provide SI traceable metrological resources (calibration and measurement) for the monitoring of radon, which essentially facilitate the harmonised implementation of the new EU-BSS in Europe. In addition, the composition of the partners will contribute to the creation of metrological infrastructure for radon in Europe suitable for the requirements of the radon action plan requested by the new European Directive.
Need
Radon is estimated to cause between 3 % and 14 % of all lung cancer cases, depending on the average radon level in the country (WHO, Fact sheet N°291, 2014). For Europe, this corresponds to about 15 to 20 thousand people dying per year by lung cancer caused by radon exposure. The legal implementation of the new EU-BSS claims a metrological sound basis of radon protection for European citizens. This is one of the main the objectives of the new EU-BSS, which have to be implemented by national legislatives in the coming years.
The traceability and quality assurance of calibrations of radon monitors and of radon calibration facilities itself as well as the development of methods to conduct a large number of traceable and quality assured in-situ and laboratory measurements of radon is concerned.
