An open-air yard in Dangjin, 120 kilometers south of Seoul, is full of collected mattresses on June 17, 2018. The products sold by Daijin Bed Co. were recently found to release radon, a radioactive gas that can cause lung cancer. (image: Yonhap)
SEOUL, Nov. 22 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s nuclear safety agency on Thursday announced a set of measures to prevent a recurrence of radon-emitting consumer products, including banning the use of the radioactive mineral monazite.
The measures come as a number of consumer products ranging from mattresses to accessories have been found to emit higher-than-permissible levels of radon gas, a radioactive substance.
The Nuclear Safety and Security Commission said the use of monazite — the mineral known as the main reason for the emission of radon — will be banned in all products that come in close contact with people.
Radon is a colorless and odorless gas that can be found in nature as an indirect decay product of uranium or thorium. Prolonged exposure to radon, released by monazite, can lead to lung cancer.
The agency said it will also ban the advertising of the health benefits of “negative ion-releasing” products, such as mattresses and bracelets.
(Yonhap)
