XN000022-1994-11-23 — Page 52

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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 1994

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THERE ARE ANY REGULATIONS REQUIRING THE CENTRAL VENTILATION SYSTEMS OF SUCH BUILDINGS TO BE REGULARLY INSPECTED TO ENSURE THAT THEIR OPERATION AND THE INTERFLOW BETWEEN INDOOR AND OUTDOOR AIR COMPLIANCE WITH STATUTORY STANDARDS; IF

So,

ARE 1N WHETHER

THE EFFECT OF RADON GAS ON HUMAN HEALTH HAS BEEN TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION IN THE FORMULATION OF SUCH

REGULATIONS?

THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION HAS ADOPTED A GUIDELINE OF 200 BECQUERELS PER CUBIC METRE (BQ/M3) FOR INDOOR RADON CONCENTRATION LEVEL. PROTECTION DEPARTMENT FOLLOWS THIS STANDARD.

THE

ENVIRONMENTAL

IN 1993, THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION DEPARTMENT CONDUCTED A SURVEY ON INDOOR RADON CONCENTRATION LEVELS IN HONG KONG. THE AVERAGE RADON CONCENTRATION LEVEL FOR THE 829 PREMISES COVERED BY THE SURVEY WAS 98 BQ/M3. IT WAS ALSO DISCOVERED THAT ABOUT 5% OF THE RESIDENTIAL AND 10% OF THE NON-RESIDENTIAL PREMISES COVERED BY THE SURVEY HAD RADON LEVELS EXCEEDING 200 BQ/M3. OVERSEAS RESEARCH SUGGESTS A LINK BETWEEN EXPOSURE TO HIGH RADON CONCENTRATION AND LUNG CANCER. THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION DEPARTMENT WILL SOON ISSUE AN INFORMATION LEAFLET ADVISING ON SIMPLE MITIGATION MEASURES TO REDUCE RADON LEVEL IN PREMISES.

REGULATIONS

UNDER THE BUILDING (VENTILATING SYSTEMS) OF THE BUILDING ORDINANCE, BUILDING OWNERS ARE REQUIRED TO KEEP THE VENTILATION SYSTEMS IN SAFE AND EFFICIENT WORKING CONDITIONS AT ALL TIMES AND TO ENGAGE A REGISTERED VENTILATION CONTRACTOR TO INSPECT THE VENTILATION SYSTEMS AT LEAST ONCE A YEAR. AS THE EFFECT OF RADON GAS ON HUMAN HEALTH WAS NOT THE MAIN CONCERN WHEN THE REGULATIONS WERE PREPARED, THE ADMINISTRATION PROPOSES TO CARRY OUT A COMPREHENSIVE STUDY ON INDOOR AIR QUALITY, INCLUDING THE PROBLEM RADON CONCENTRATION, NEXT YEAR.

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