News

Agenda Published for Radon Week in Funchal, Madeira

We are delighted to share the agenda for Radon Week which can be viewed here. The conference is taking place in Funchal, Madeira from 7-10 October, 2024, and during the week delegates will have the opportunity to participate in the 2024 European Radon Association (ERA) Workshop and Radon Outcomes on Mitigation Solutions (ROOMS) 2024. On 7 October reception is open from 3PM-6PM, which is followed by welcome cocktails at the Restaurante do Forte

Per Nilsson, President of the ERA, said: “We are very excited about the quality of presentations being delivered at this year’s Radon Week. The level of expertise present at the conference is unheralded. There will be research and anecdotal evidence to share which will further raise awareness of the importance of monitoring air quality in buildings. Many people are unaware of the dangers of radon, this conference is about collaborating to ensure the risk of radon is higher on the public agenda.”

On 9 October, the ERA award ceremony takes place at 12.40PM and the ERA Executive Committee will announce the winners of two awards: “Lifetime Achievement” and “Recent Outstanding Research or Work in the Radon Field “.

The theme for the ERA Workshop this year is “Revisiting Radon Risk Communication”. Taking place on 10 October, presentations include:

• “The RadAR project – an example on how a citizen science project can increase radon monitoring and promote remediation” from Catarina Antunes a Senior Technical Officer at the Environmental Planning and Protection Division/Emergencies and Radiation Protection Department/Portuguese Environmental Agency.
• “Radon Busters across Europe: Theory-based, evidence-based, and strategic radon risk communication” from Sofie Apers a PhD Student at the Department of Communication Studies, University of Antwerp and Institute for Environment, Health and Safety, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre.
• “Radon and Health: How Phyisicians approach communication?” from Laura Mezquita a Medical oncologist specialist in Thoracic Tumors and physician/scientist at Hospital Clinic of Barcelona – IDIBAPS, working on the Environment and Cancer Group.
• “Treatment or Threat? – Challenges and Strategies in Radon Communication in Austria” from Valeria Gruber Head of the National Radon Centre of Austria/Department for Radon and Radioecology/Division of Radiation Protection/AGES – Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety.

ROOMS is an informal conference, taking place 8-9 October, that aims to exchange ideas on how to solve radon levels in buildings. With over 25 presentations, the main topics at ROOMS are:

• Building protection measurements: prevention, diagnosis, and remediation.
• Radon remediation in specific conditions: waterworks, special workplaces, public buildings.
• The impact of changes in building techniques and energy retrofits e.g. low energy buildings.

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.