EPA, 2015. This January, as part of National Radon Action Month, U.S. EPA encourages you to test your school facilities for radon. A known human carcinogen, radon is one of the most hazardous indoor pollutants. It is the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers, causing almost 21,000 deaths a year. Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that emanates from rock and soil and can enter school facilities through cracks and openings in building foundations. A nationwide survey of radon levels in schools estimates that nearly one in five has at least one schoolroom with a short-term radon level above the action level of 4 pCi/L (picocuries per liter) — the level at which EPA recommends that schools take action to reduce the level. The only way to determine if your school building has elevated radon levels is to test for it. Testing is simple and unobtrusive and every school should have a plan to manage radon. Winter is a good time to test for radon because cold weather and the heating season can elevate radon levels in a school. It is also easier to maintain proper testing conditions in the winter because doors and windows are closed except for normal entry and exit, which helps in determining the maximum radon level.
