RADIOACTIVE: Abbots Langley recorded to have highest radon levels in the county

Data has revealed that Abbots Langley has the highest levels of a radioactive gas in Hertfordshire.

Abbots Langley has been shown to have a high radon content by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA). Radon is an odourless radioactive gas formed by the decay of the small amounts of uranium that occur naturally in all rocks and soils.

Cancer Research UK states: “When we breathe radon in, the radiation can cause changes to the cells in our lungs and airways. This damage can lead to cancer.”

UKHSA recommends that radon levels should be reduced in homes where the annual average is at or above 200 becquerels per cubic metre. Affected areas are those with one per cent chance or more of a house having a radon concentration at this level.

Abbots Langley is recorded as having a maximum potential radon level of five to 10 per cent.

Property owners in the area are encouraged to carry out a radon test. More information can be found at www.ukradon.org

Photo credit: UKradon