Dangerously high levels of radon gas have been discovered in County Mayo, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced.

The EPA's Office of Radiological Protection has launched a dedicated communications campaign to generate awareness.

The EPA is urging householders across Mayo to order an easy-to-use, inexpensive radon test for their homes, as a matter of urgency to ensure they are not being exposed to the cancer causing gas, which is colourless, odourless and tasteless.

Many parts of Mayo are deemed High Radon Areas where more than 10% of homes tested are known to have unacceptable levels of radon. Homes with high levels of radon have been consistently found in Ballina, Claremorris, Ballyhaunis and Crossmolina.

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Stephanie Long, Senior Scientist in the EPA's Office of Radiological Protection, said: "One in six homes tested in Mayo has an unsafe level of radon, a cancerous gas linked to up to 250 lung cancer cases per year in Ireland. If everyone had their homes tested these could be prevented as reducing high radon concentrations is relatively straightforward and inexpensive.

"To date, the EPA's Office of Radiological Protection has measured 4,400 houses in Mayo and 17% per cent of these have been found to have levels above the national reference level. The highest reading we found was 31 times the national recommended level. Living in a house with this level of radon can deliver a radiation dose equivalent to 21 chest X-rays per day."

As part of this communications campaign, all householders in Mayo will receive an information pack with information on the effects of radon in the home, how to apply for a radon test and advice on how to solve the problem, if it is found. Information literature will also be sent to GP offices so that health care centres can advise patients on the harmful affects of radon on people's health.

(CD/JP)