Trim estate gets all-clear in radon tests

A report on the results of radon gas monitors installed in homes in Mornington Heights in Trim has found that radon levels are within safe levels in the estate. The Mornington Heights Residents' Association recently held a meeting where local residents heard that the readings showed they were under the danger levels for naturally occurring radon gas. Cllr Ray Butler, who attended the meeting, said that while one reading was high, it was still under the danger level. He said that residents were "very relieved" at the outcome of the testing. Last year, a number of radon meters were installed in homes in the estate for three months as the residents' committee tried to investigate possible reasons for the apparently high rate of cancer in Mornington Heights. The results were sent off to be analysed by the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland (RPII). Residents were also told at the recent meeting that the Chorus NTL cables on the wall beside St Mary's NS had now been removed and placed underground in protective casing. Cllr Butler thanked the residents of the Summerhill Road for their forebearance and co-operation while the work was ongoing. The residents' committee has also been campaigning for the mast on the green in their estate and other masts in the area to be moved to a greenfield site away from residential estates and schools. Cllr Butler said that local residents had also met with executives from Chorus NTL and had suggested that the mast on the green at Mornington Heights be moved to a greenfield site, but Chorus NTL had said it was not in a position to do this because of the cost and also because of possible objections. He said that while no planning permission exists for the Chorus mast, it had been there so long the company would have 'squatters rights' and there was no way "they are going to budge". However, Cllr Butler said they were told that advances in technology would see the mast being taken down in a couple of years as everything would be going underground. Chorus NTL had said there are no impacts on health and that the structure is only receiving television signals and is not transmitting, he added. Cllr Butler said there are a lot of other masts in the area and they would be looking to see when they are up for planning retention and putting in submissions and objections as masts must get retention every five years if they are to have proper planning approval. "People are relieved about the radon levels. It is a process of elimination and we never promised anything. The committee has worked hard to get this work done. We will now be concentrating on what masts are up for retention. We want to see all the masts on a greenfield site. "At the moment, they are all scattered around the town. We do not want to stop technology but there are plenty of greenfield sites and we want them all in one safe area away from houses," said Cllr Butler. A petition was sent to the HSE last year calling for a health study to be conducted in the area but the HSE replied that, according to its own statistics, there was not a cancer cluster in the area.