High radon gas levels at prison

TESTING is continuing at Dartmoor Prison after high levels of potential hazardous radon gas were detected.

Some prisoners were moved out of the jail last month after tests revealed higher than acceptable levels of radon gas.

The Prison Service moved 194 prisoners to other locations amid fears that having them locked in granite-walled cells for long periods exposed to the gas could lead to serious long-term health problems.

Radon is an invisible and odourless radioactive gas formed by decaying uranium found in rocks and soils. It causes more than 1,000 deaths from lung cancer every year.

Decaying uranium is present all over the planet, but is concentrated in places rich in granite, such as Dartmoor and elsewhere in Devon and Cornwall. It is harmless in the open air, but can seep into buildings and reach dangerous levels.

No illnesses have been reported among prisoners or staff as yet, but a Prison Service spokesman told the BBC: "A number of prisoners have been relocated as a precautionary measure after routine testing revealed higher-than-normal levels of radon.

"This is a temporary measure while work to permanently reduce radon levels is completed and there are no safety implications to staff or prisoners who remain on site."