Progress in Establishing National System for Radon Education in Czech Republic

1. Czech Republic Progress in establishing national system for education and training remedial capacity Regional Workshop IAEA RER 9136 Yerevan Marcela Bercikova State Office for Nuclear Safety Radon Program Department Czech Republic

2. 1.1.2017 New Atomic legislation was valid 263/2016 coll. Atomic act 422/2016 coll. Decree about Radiation protection 362/2016 coll. Decree about Condition for grant of radon remedy (more next presentation) The legislations implemented EU directives • Prevention – measuring of radon gas of soil before make project of new building • Reference level for indoor radon concentration in all buildings - 300 Bq/m-3 • If the indoor air activity concentration of radon in a schools or school facilities or buildings used for the provision of social or health services referred exceeds the reference level, the owner of the building shall take measures to reduce the exposure to a level as low as reasonably achievable • Reference level for gamma dose in all buildings 1 µSv/h • Annual average radon activity concentration is 3000 Bq/m-3 • the level of annual average radon activity concentration in the air which, when exceeded, owners of buildings with residential rooms or rooms intended to be occupied by persons shall take measures reducing the level of exposure. Restriction and impose a fine

3. Average indoor radon concentration - 119 Bq.m-3 Radon concentration over 400 Bq.m-3 - in 2 % existing flats (60 000 flats) in 2 % new flats approx. 29 000 flats have been found yet Radon concentration over 1000 Bq.m-3 - in 0.2 % existing flats (6 000 flats) - 1993 in 0.7 % new flats approx. 6 000 flats have been found yet

4. Progress in radon preventionand education We prepared new text for Technical standards – next year will be in approval process. The expert included new knowledge of radon ČSN 73 0601 Protection of buildings against radon from the soil. ČSN 73 0601 Protection of buildings against radon and gamma radiation from building materials New recommendation about quality of measuring radon indoor and from soil New system of comparative of measurement: • Radon index of land • Gama dose in building This system is free for company with SONS license New system education for building projects. We are cooperation with CZECH CHAMBER OF AUTHORIZED ENGINEERS AND TECHIQUES IN THE CONSTRUCTION We organize lecture about radon for those interested/ school, government…

5. Ten Commandments for builder New website publication for people how built new house without Radon 2017 new website about radon www.radonprogram.cz

6. Houses were built of slag blocks or slag concrete panels with a high content of natural radionuclides that might be a source of increased volume activity of radon (VAR) and gamma dose rate inside houses (call START ) • built 1972-1983 and distributed all over the country (mostly around Prague), discovered 1987 • 3000 factory-made family houses type „Start“ from slag concrete panels • Ra-226 mass activity 1-10 kBq/kg • the indoor gamma dose rates0.5-2 Sv/h After 1989 Public/political awareness and the experiences from the past lead to strict regulation of natural radioactivity • The first legislative step in of natural radioactivity • Decree (Ministry of Health) No. 76/1991 Coll. (only 1 page) • Building requirement • The limit value 226Ra was set to 120 Bq/kg (building material) • Indoor radon has to be ≤ 200 Bq/m3 (new houses, reconstruction - annual average) • Indoor radon has to be ≤ 400 Bq/m3 (annual average) • Indoor gamma ≤ 2 µSv/h

7. In 1991 the government of CR has agreed • remedial measures • buy up these houses • secured funding by massive/generous subsidy • the subsidy system takes up to now in Radon program • The regulator body around 1996 thought the problem is over… “we provided information, we bought the problems houses, we grand subsidies for remedy”. • After the 20 years grew up new generation, the houses are on the estate market, the problem is here again. • The information has been often forgotten. Data about measuring lost or did not present.

8. Two owners of dwellings sold the family house They had! results from 1991 - with conclusion, the house is good for life. Families lived there all the time (more then 20 years) Both owners didn’t provide information about measuring and building material to buyers New owners discovered from old documentation and during reconstruction specification about the building material. Real situation / legal dispute Two owners of dwellings sold the family house They had! results from 1991 - with conclusion, the house is good for life. Families lived there all the time (more then 20 years) Both owners didn’t provide information about measuring and building material to buyers New owners discovered from old documentation and during reconstruction specification about the building material New measuring of radon and gamma dose The gamma dose was lower then reference level but higher then in houses built from a “normal building material” Radon was a bit higher then reference level

9. The new owners was afraid about the risk from radiation and • one of them canceled contract about buying of the house (but the seller didn’t accept it) • the other buyer demanded lower price but more then the seller want to accept • The both of „new owners“enforced „action for damages“ via court • The judicial proceedings took 4 years (from the first instance up to Supreme court) • Now we have the two final judgment ( one is from Constitutional court) • Judges considered the radon and gamma radiation as a hiddendefect of these buildings • The decision of the court is precedent in this sense

10. Why? The both explanation of judicial was generally the same Everyone has the right to decide where he will live and which environmental risk he will accept Yes, Czech Republic has the reference level 300 Bq/m3 for radon and 1µSv/h for gamma dose But everyone must have the choice to make decision which level is acceptable for him (50, 200, 500….) Recommendation of the State Office for Nuclear Safety for the process of sale and purchase of houses

11. Based on the described case the State Office for Nuclear Safety therefore urgently recommends to sellers to take into account the issues of radon and gamma dose rate in purchase contracts in general and not only in connection with the START-type houses. Each seller should always inform the buyer about results of measurement of VAR, gamma dose rate (if available) and characteristics of the house with regard to the building materials to avoid potential claims of a hidden defect after the real estate is sold. Each buyer should in his own interest inquire and get information about values of VAR and gamma dose rate in the offered real estate. Based on the measurement results the buyer may decide which VAR and gamma dose rate values are acceptable with regard to probability of negative health impacts. The situation is further complicated by the fact that there are no established limits for the purposes of regulation of radon exposure in houses and the legislation only defines the so-called reference levels (for VAR the reference value is 300 Bq/m3 and for gamma dose rate it is 1 Sv/h) while their meaning and practical application may not be always completely understood, particularly by the general public. In simple words, if the values set by the legislation are observed the exposure levels are socially acceptable and safe.

12. Thank you for your attention marcela.bercikova@sujb.cz