Story perspectives

UK Prisons Under Investigation for Unsafe Radon Levels

3/26/2026

Summary

Story summary

The Ministry of Justice is investigating 42 UK prison and probation sites for unsafe radon levels.
HMP Dartmoor closed in 2024 after radon levels were ten times higher than recommended.
Other facilities, including HMP Exeter, show high radon but remain operational.
Legal action is underway for former inmates and staff, with critics including solicitor Mladen Kesar and Gemma Abbott of the Howard League for Penal Reform describing insufficient urgency.

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Story summary

The Ministry of Justice is investigating 42 UK prison and probation sites for unsafe radon levels.
HMP Dartmoor closed in 2024 after radon levels were ten times higher than recommended.
Other facilities, including HMP Exeter, show high radon but remain operational.
Legal action is underway for former inmates and staff, with critics including solicitor Mladen Kesar and Gemma Abbott of the Howard League for Penal Reform describing insufficient urgency.