Overview
- Regulators report that indoor radon can climb five- to tenfold in winter due to reduced ventilation and a chimney effect that draws gas from the ground.
- About 10.5 million people in Germany are estimated to live above the WHO reference level of 100 Bq/m³, and roughly 2 million exceed Germany’s 300 Bq/m³ threshold.
- Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer after smoking, with around 2,800 deaths annually in Germany and roughly 20,000 across the EU.
- Officials stress that regional maps are only indicative and that building-specific measurements using passive detectors costing €30–50 provide reliable assessments.
- Recommended steps include frequent shock ventilation, sealing cracks and penetrations, and, where needed, drainage or dedicated ventilation systems, with radon barriers advised in new builds.