Article publication date
May 2026
ARPANSA review date
July 2026
Summary
This systematic review evaluated evidence on indoor radon exposure in, and factors influencing exposure among, school-aged children. Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas and is classified by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a Group 1 carcinogen[KK1] . The review focused on classrooms, daycare centres, kindergartens, and schools where children spend approximately 6–8 hours per day. The authors included 32 studies in the review. The level at which radon mitigation to the public should be put in place as recommended by ARPANSA is 200 Bq/m3[HM2] [RM3] and the average radon concentrations in most studies were below 100 Bq/m³. However, some schools in radon-prone regions exceeded 300 Bq/m³ and there were some outliers in Finland and Israel with levels above 1000 Bq/m³ prior to the implementation of mitigation measures. The authors recommended that, in schools where concentrations exceed guideline levels, routine radon testing, installation of effective ventilation, radon-resistant building design, and soil remediation should be enacted.
Published in
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2026
Link to study
Indoor Radon Exposure Among Schoolchildren: A Systematic Review of Risk Factors - PubMed
Comments by ARPANSA
While described as a systematic review, the study applied only limited aspects of systematic review methodology. Although the literature search was systematic, key methods such as the PICO framework, risk of bias assessment and GRADE[HM1] [RM2] evaluation were not appropriately adapted for an exposure assessment review limiting the reliability of the review conclusions. In addition, the detailed results of the risk-of-bias and evidence-quality assessments were not fully presented, reducing the accountability of the study which is one of the most important aspects of a systematic review. Despite these shortcomings, the review does reinforce the importance of regular radon monitoring in radon prone areas. Radon is a known carcinogen, and long-term exposure to high levels is a leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers. More information can be found on the ARPANSA factsheet: Radon exposure and health.
The levels of indoor radon in Australia are generally low, and according to ARPANSA's national wide survey of homes that was published in 1990, the average radon exposure level in Australian homes is 10 Bq/m³ which is much lower than the global average of 40 Bq/m³[HM3] [RM4] [KK5] [BO6] [RM7] . Consequently, residential radon exposure is not expected to be a significant contributor to any health risk in Australia. This is because homes and buildings in Australia are often well ventilated and built on stumps. The geology of the eastern coastline of Australia, where most people live, also has a low radon potential due to the geology of the rock layers and the soil (Radon potential map). However, as Australia builds more energy efficient homes and buildings, indoor radon levels could increase.
ARPANSA is currently undertaking a targeted survey of radon levels in areas of elevated radon potential, with results to be available on our website next year. ARPANSA recommends mitigation measures are enacted whenever radon concentrations persistently exceed 200 Bq/m3. It is not expected that the survey will reveal concentrations in excess of this value. The measurement survey explores if indoor radon concentrations have changed over time and aims to confirm that levels remain below the action limit. You can find map of indoor radon concentrations on the ARPANSA website, Radon in homes survey and indoor radon map | ARPANSA, based on the data from ARPANSA’s 1990 nationwide survey of Australian homes.
