ROYAL FAMILY OFFERED FREE RADON TESTS FOR BALMORAL

THE ROYAL FAMILY HAVE BEEN OFFERED FREE TEST TO CHECK WHETHER THEY HAVE BEEN EXPOSED TO CANCER-CAUSING RADON GAS AT BALMORAL. THE QUEEN'S DEESIDE HOME IS IN AN AREA EXPOSED TO POTENTIALLY HARMFUL LEVELS OF THE GAS. SHE IS AMONG 3,000 RESIDENTS IN PARTS OF ABERDEENSHIRE TO BE OFFERED THE FREE TESTS. THE HIGHEST NUMBERS OF HOMES AFFECTED ARE IN ABERDEENSHIRE, FOLLOWED BY THE HIGHLANDS, ORKNEY AND THE BORDERS. AND A RISK MAP SHOWS THAT THE BALMORAL ESTATE IS IN AN AREA WHERE THE PERCENTAGE OF HOMES AT OR ABOVE THE ACTION LEVEL IS BETWEEN 10 AND 30, THE SECOND HIGHEST CATEGORY. A SPOKESMAN FOR THE HEALTH PROTECTION AGENCY SAID BALMORAL WAS IN THE AREA OF PROPERTIES TO BE OFFERED THE FREE TESTS, BUT DECLINED TO SAY ON CONFIDENTIALITY GROUNDS IF IT HAD ACCEPTED THE OFFER. BUT SO FAR ONE IN THREE HOMES THAT RECEIVED THE OFFER HAVE ACCEPTED. RADON IS THE SECOND-BIGGEST CAUSE OF LUNG CANCER, RESPONSIBLE FOR 1,000-2,000 DEATHS IN THE UK ANNUALLY, COMPARED WITH ABOUT 30,000 DEATHS FROM SMOKING. THE TESTING KITS CONTAIN TWO SMALL CIRCULAR MONITORS WHICH ARE PLACED IN A LIVING ROOM AND BEDROOM FOR THREE MONTHS BEFORE BEING RETURNED TO HPA FOR ANALYSIS. THE RESULTS WILL BE ISSUED IN WRITING, WITH ADVISE TO REDUCE THE HEALTH RISK, IF NECESSARY.