Radon is a odorless, colorless, tasteless naturally occurring gas that is found in the soil. It is also mildly radioactive making it a hazard for humans.
Radon finds it way into homes and other structures through openings in the foundation or flooring. If the gas cannot exit the structure, it builds up and then the occupants of the structure are exposed. Long term exposure to radon can cause lung cancer.
Almost one in five schools surveyed had at least one ground-contact room with a radon level at or above the EPA’s action level of 4pCI/L using short term measuring devices. This would indicate that nationwide over 73,000 classrooms have a potential radon problem. The EPA has recommended testing for radon in all schools in the US however most states do not require it. With radon being the second leading cause of lung cancer, testing and subsequently mitigating radon becomes an important task for schools to undertake. Follow the links below to learn about testing for radon and recommended mitigation methods. The source of radon beneath a school does not go away. So whatever fix is chosen for a school it must last the life of the building.