- The government is investigating 42 prison and probation sites across the UK due to concerns over high levels of radon gas, which is known to increase the risk of lung cancer.
- HMP Dartmoor was closed in 2024 after recording radon levels 10 times the recommended limit, with the Ministry of Justice still paying £4 million annually for its lease.
- At least 16 prisons, including HMP Exeter and Lindholme, have previously measured "above action" levels of the radioactive gas, with some areas at HMP Exeter exceeding nine times the legal limit.
- Legal firm Kesar & Co is pursuing legal action on behalf of former prisoners and staff who believe they have been exposed to harmful radon levels at six different prisons.
- Critics, including legal experts, accuse the Ministry of Justice of a worrying lack of urgency and transparency in addressing the risks, despite the MoJ stating it routinely monitors and mitigates elevated levels.
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