This year, Radon Week was held in Warsaw, Poland, from 3-6 November. During the week, delegates had the opportunity to participate in the 2025 European Radon Association (ERA) Workshop and Radon Outcomes on Mitigation Solutions (ROOMS).
On Thursday, the theme for the ERA Workshop was “Radon in Workplaces: from Awareness to Mitigation” and included presentations from Italy, Belgium and Sweden. Italy and Sweden (Francesco Salvi and Boris Dehandschutter respectively) presented “Radon in workplaces: regulation and national database in Italy” and “Evaluation of the Belgian national radon action plan concerning building mitigation“. Per Nilsson, ERA President and CEO of UNIRAD, presented “Mitigation cases from different mitigation techniques” focussing on big buildings in Norway (shopping malls and authority buildings).
ROOMS workshops took place on Tuesday and Wednesday, with presentations about radon mitigation strategies and practical cases. The AGM of the ERA took place on Wednesday and the new ERA EC was approved.
The conference included a World Café where group discussions among participants took place. Ideas around the topic for the next European Radon Day were considered, alongside what improvements could be made to the ERA workshop and ROOMS over the next few years.
During the week, a visit to Marie Curie’s museum was arranged for delegates. Zuzanna Podgórska , a member of the ERA EC and an employee of Radonova in Poland, acted as a guide at the museum. She had previously worked at the venue and shared insights with all the attendees.
Today, Friday 7 November, is European Radon Day, the date Marie Skłodowska-Curie was born. The day was established by the ERA to raise awareness about the health risks of radon gas, a naturally occurring radioactive gas that can accumulate in buildings and is a leading cause of lung cancer, second only to smoking. The theme for 2025 is “How did Marie Curie Change your Life? The Legacy of Marie Curie.”
Marie is a two-time Nobel Prize winner. Together with her husband, she discovered the chemical element radium, and one of its decay products is radon. Therefore, the day is significant as it gives the ERA the opportunity to promote a radon community which has been established to make the wider public and businesses aware of the inherent health implications of sustained exposure to the gas.
José-Luis Gutiérrez Villanueva, Secretary of the ERA, said: “Radon Week in Warsaw was an outstanding success, uniting experts and practitioners from across Europe in a spirit of genuine collaboration. The calibre of presentations was exceptional, but it was the open, constructive dialogue between delegates that truly defined the event. These positive discussions fostered new partnerships and strengthened existing networks, helping to bridge the gap between research and practical action. This year’s conference not only advanced scientific understanding but also reinforced a shared commitment to keeping radon risk at the forefront of public health priorities.”
The ERA is a non- profit International Organisation registered under Belgian law (number 549.923.484). It has been formed to serve the interests of the European radon community.
