Washington 3/8/2012 4:34:00 AM
News / Education

TODAY Reports Radon Threat in Schools

Radon is an odorless, tasteless and invisible gas produced by the decay of naturally occurring uranium in soil and water. Radon is a form of ionizing radiation and a proven carcinogen. Lung cancer is the only known effect on human health from exposure to radon in air

Washington, DC -- TODAY National Investigative Correspondent Jeff Rossen reported last week, on concerns over Radon, a toxic, cancer-causing gas that is threatening the health of students in thousands of classrooms across the country.  Many assume when children are sent to school that they are, in fact, safe; that they’re learning in a healthy environment. But the TODAY report found the contrary that very few school districts are doing little to nothing to safe guard children against radon in schools.

Radon is an odorless, tasteless and invisible gas produced by the decay of naturally occurring uranium in soil and water. Radon is a form of ionizing radiation and a proven carcinogen. Lung cancer is the only known effect on human health from exposure to radon in air.

TODAY reported Senator Henry Waxman (D-Calif) stating that “indoor air pollution is an invisible environmental threat. Radon and other indoor air pollutants can cause serious health risks. But EPA has little authority to take even basic steps like requiring disclosure of known threats or certifying abatement contractors. Schools with high levels of radon can increase cancer risks and should be a high priority for action.”

Although EPA and the federal government are facing difficult budget challenges, EPA will continue the fight against radon exposure. Radon is a significant and preventable public health risk, and testing for radon and reducing high levels are important steps everyone should take to protect the health of their family. Along with leading joint federal efforts to reduce radon exposure, EPA will continue to work with states on testing for radon, addressing high levels in homes and schools, and building radon-resistant homes and schools.

Exposure to radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer after smoking - according to the EPA, linked to more than 20,000 deaths every year.  Cancer is scary and is often related to either smoking or Radon.  

Radon in air is ubiquitous. Radon is found in outdoor air and in the indoor air of buildings of all kinds. EPA recommends homes be fixed if the radon level is 4 pCi/L (picocuries per liter) or more. Because there is no known safe level of exposure to radon, EPA also recommends that Americans consider fixing their home for radon levels between 2 pCi/L and 4 pCi/L. The average radon concentration in the indoor air of America's homes is about 1.3 pCi/L. It is upon this level that EPA based its estimate of 20,000 radon-related lung cancers a year upon. It is for this simple reason that EPA recommends that Americans consider fixing their homes when the radon level is between 2 pCi/L and 4 pCi/L. The average concentration of radon in outdoor air is .4 pCi/L or 1/10th of EPA's 4 pCi/L action level.

As the nation's leading environmental testing laboratory, EDLab and the scientists at Building Health Check have developed the Radon Screen Check an affordable do-it-yourself (DIY), simple and easy to use test kit to monitor the presence of Radon in your home or office.  You can contact EDLab and/or Building Health Check to order your Radon Screen Check today at 1-800-422-7873 ext 804.

About Environmental Diagnostics Laboratory (EDLab):

Alan Wozniak founded Pure Air Control Services, Inc. in 1984 as a small mechanical contracting firm. Today, EDLab is the industry standard for indoor environmental quality diagnosis, laboratory analysis and remediation. Pure Air has serviced more than 600 million square feet of indoor environments in over 10,000 facilities.

Pure Air Control Services nationally performed IAQ services include: Building Sciences Evaluation; Building Health Check; EDLab an AIHA accredited Environmental Microbiology Laboratory, Environmental Project Management; and Mold Remediation Services, among other indoor environmental services.

The company’s expanding client roster includes: FAA, USACE, General Services Administration (GSA); Allstate Insurance; Carrier Air Conditioning; Naval Air Warfare Center, Orlando; and Naval Air Station - King's Bay, Georgia, Walt Disney World, and many other Fortune 500 companies, school boards, and city, state, and county governments, making Pure Air Control Services the reliable industry leader in IAQ.

For more information on EDLab, Pure Air Control Services, Inc. please contact Cy Garner at (800) 422-7873 x 804, or visit www.pureaircontrols.com.

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