Environmental impacts of waterproof membranes with respect to their radon resistance

Gas radon is the main source of ionising radiation for humans and the second most common cause of lung cancer after tobacco smoke. Radon is present in the ground, and its concentration differs between different soils according to parameters such as permeability and mineral composition. As radon mainly penetrates buildings through cracks and fractures at the foundation level, this area requires research focus. This study aims to assess the contribution of environmental embodied impacts of ten macro-categories of membranes that are installed to protect buildings against radon. This study aims to evaluate membranes because they are one of the cheapest and easiest radon level-reducing solutions for both new and existing buildings. The data used in the comparison were obtained from environmental product declarations (EPDs) downloaded from open-access databases. The environmental embodied impacts were calculated for the A1–A3 Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) stages and compared with each other in relation to one square meter and radon resistance, which are the parameters that highlight the performance of a membrane in terms of effectiveness for protection against radon. Finally, a comparison of the performance of the radon-proofing solutions with their environmental embodied impacts was conducted using the CML2001 methodology. The results of this investigation enable, for the first time, the selection of the most efficient and environmentally friendly radon-proof membrane at the design stage. Through this analysis (combining performance and environmental impacts), we found that polymeric membranes, such as HDPE and LDPE membranes, were the best options for achieving radon resistance in the range of 100–150 Ms/m in terms of environmental impacts, whereas the PVC membrane displayed the highest values of embodied impacts.