The spectacle of the Gulf hides the territory's volcanic origins. Pyroclastic materials like tuff, the heart of Campanian construction, are the primary source of radon risk.
Radon Gas Campania
Radon Gas Campania: Regulations, Risk and Obligations 2026
Everything you need to know about Regional Law 13/2019 and radon risk in Campania. From Vesuvius to the Phlegraean Fields, find out if your business is at risk and how to comply with mandatory measurements to avoid penalties and occupancy blockage.
Campania Law:
R.L. 13/2019
Strict rules for protection against natural radioactive gases.
Campania Regulatory References
A regulatory record (R.L. 13/2019)
Campania anticipated many Italian regions by adopting a strong legislative instrument back in 2019: Regional Law No. 13 of July 8, 2019. This standard does not just transpose directives but establishes a fundamental principle: safety from radon exposure is an essential requirement for building occupancy certification.
The law imposes measurement obligations not only for underground workplaces but extends the scope to all ground-floor commercial businesses, schools, and strategic buildings. Failure to comply leads to direct administrative consequences, up to the suspension of occupancy certification.
Specific geological risk
Campania is a unique territory from a geological perspective. The presence of massive volcanic complexes (Vesuvius, Phlegraean Fields, Roccamonfina) and the widespread use of local building materials such as tuff and pozzolana make radon risk structurally high.
In these areas, gas comes not only from the subsoil ("chimney effect") but can also be emitted by the walls of historic buildings themselves. For this reason, radiometric surveillance in Campania requires specific protocols and special attention even to raised floors.
The role of ARPAC
ARPAC (Regional Agency for Environmental Protection of Campania) is the technical reference body. It carries out environmental monitoring, manages the radioactivity surveillance network, and supports the Region in defining risk areas.
The Agency provides technical guidelines but, importantly, does not perform measurements for private individuals for regulatory compliance. To comply, businesses and citizens must turn to accredited dosimetry services.
Historical Path of Radon Regulations
From the 2013 European Directive to the 2019 Regional Law and beyond.
Directive 2013/59/Euratom
The BSS Directive (Basic Safety Standards) establishes fundamental safety standards for protection against ionizing radiation, including radon gas. It introduces the reference level of 300 Bq/m³ for workplaces and homes for the first time at a European level.
Read on EUR-LexLeg. Decree July 31, 2020, n. 101
National reference regulation transposing the EU directive. It introduces obligations for employers and criminal penalties, defining the framework within which the Campania law fits.
R.L. July 8, 2019, n. 13
Regional Law 13/2019 is a pioneering regulation in Campania, directly linking environmental health to occupancy certification. It mandates measurements for all ground-floor, underground, and semi-underground premises open to the public, anticipating national focus on lower floors in volcanic risk areas.
Download R.L. 13/2019 (PDF)National Radon Action Plan 2023-2032
The PNAR, approved with DPCM of January 11, 2024, is the national strategic document defining objectives, timelines, and resources for radon risk reduction. It mandates new monitoring of volcanic risk areas in Campania and coordination of measurement campaigns.
Deadlines Expired & Inspections
Transitional deadlines for existing businesses have technically expired. Those opening a new activity today must attach the measurement to the SCIA or commit to doing so. For existing non-compliant activities, failure to measure exposes them to the risk of penalties and revocation of occupancy.
Risk Geography in Campania
Classification of regional territory according to ARPAC.
Campania represents a geological unicum in the Italian landscape. The volcanic nature of the region, shaped by the millennial activity of Vesuvius, the Phlegraean Fields, and the Roccamonfina complex, has enriched the subsoil with minerals containing uranium and radium. These elements, decaying, generate radon which rises rapidly to the surface, favored by the permeability of tuff and pozzolana. The ARPAC map does not mark simple boundaries but highlights where the "respiration" of the subsoil is most intense: red areas indicate territories where geological conformation creates a natural highway for gas entry into buildings.
Lithological Systems with Potential Radon Concentration:
High Risk Macro-Areas
Not all zones are equal. Some territories are true radiological "hotspots". In these macro-areas, risk is not a possibility but a structural characteristic of the environment. Here, building on tuff or living on the ground floor means living with an active source of radiation.
- • Vesuvian Area: Naples and municipalities of the Vesuvian belt, including Portici and Ercolano.
- • Phlegraean Fields: Pozzuoli, Quarto, Bacoli, Monte di Procida.
- • Islands: Ischia and Procida (entirely volcanic origin).
- • Caserta Area: Roccamonfina, Sessa Aurunca, Teano.
- • Irpinia and Sannio: Inland areas with active faults and high rock permeability favoring radon rise.
Obligations and Penalties in Campania
What to do to avoid business shutdown.
Who must measure NOW?
R.L. 13/2019 leaves no doubt: the obligation is active for all establishments open to the public located in underground, semi-underground, and ground-floor premises (if in risk areas or provided by town planning).
All commercial activities are included: shops, restaurants, gyms, banks, public and private offices open to users.
Occupancy at risk
The critical point of the Campanian law is Art. 4, which links measurement to occupancy certification (agibilità). The Municipality can suspend the premises' occupancy if the owner fails to demonstrate measurements or remediation in case of exceeding limits (300 Bq/m³).
How to comply?
If you haven't measured yet, you are technically overdue. You must start the annual measurement campaign IMMEDIATELY by installing dosimeters. Having the measurement in progress is the first step to demonstrate to control bodies the willingness to comply with regulations and regularize your position.
Campania Frequently Asked Questions
Specific answers for the Campanian territory
I am in Naples center on the ground floor, do I need to measure?
I have a semi-underground room used as storage, do I need to measure?
How much does measurement cost in Naples?
Who conducts checks in Campania?
How long does a legally valid measurement last?
Are kindergartens and private schools obliged?
I live in a "basso" in Naples, am I at risk?
Can I use a "DIY" digital meter?
If I renovate, do I need to re-measure?
What should I do if the concentration exceeds 300 Bq/m³?
Business in Campania?
Get compliant with R.L. 13/2019. Avoid penalties and protect health.