Effectiveness of the National Radon Action Plans: Core Set and Extensive Set of Indicators

Background: The health risks associated with radon exposure have been known for decades. European legislation has established basic safety requirements for protection against hazards arising from exposure to indoor radon. European Union (EU) Member States are required to implement national radon action plans to address the long-term risks of radon exposure in homes, public buildings, and workplaces.Materials and Methods: By applying the drivers, pressures, state, impact, and response model (DPSIR) to radon and incorporating key factors associated with European legislation into the causal framework, indicators were identified to assess the effectiveness of the actions implemented by national radon action plans in line with EU guidelines.Results and Discussion: Since national radon action plans must take into account aspects such as radiation protection, geology, epidemiology, data management and analysis, political responsibility, building construction techniques, and communication, an extensive set of 25 effectiveness indicators associated with specific objectives of European radon legislation has been identified. It would be difficult for a policy maker to guide decisions among so many different indicators, so a core set of four effectiveness indicators has been selected based on the political relevance, analytical validity, and measurability of each indicator.Conclusion: Despite the critical issues highlighted, these indicators represent the key elements of a national radon action plan in line with the European Basic Safety Standards (EU-BSS) and describe the effectiveness of primary responses in terms of potential improvements in the country’s situation.