Stockholm Royal Palace Radon levels

["Franta, Jaroslav" <frantaj@AECL.CA>]

NUCLEAR NEWS FLASHES - Monday, August 30, 2004

INTERNATIONAL:

--RADON LEVELS AS HIGH AS 2,800 BEQUERELS PER CUBIC METER HAVE been measured

at the Royal Palace in Stockholm. Maintenance officials are trying to find a

way to remove the radioactive gas without damaging the building, which is a

historical landmark. Normally, industrial ventilation equipment and fans

could be used, but, in addition to potential damage, work at the palace

needs to be done as unobtrusively as possible. The discovery comes shortly

after the Swedish National Board for Health & Welfare cut the limit for

acceptable indoor levels of radon from 400 bq/m3 to 200 bq/m3. Palace

officials said they don't believe radon levels in the building are a threat

to those working there, because the highest concentrations are in a limited

area. Although the palace is the royal family's official residence, they

actually live in another palace outside of the city.