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EPA’s Healthy Schools initiative is working with schools and other partners to provide education about environmental health issues and how they impact the health of school buildings. 2

3 Family/Community Involvement Health Education Health Promotion for Staff Healthy School Environment Health Services Physical Education Counseling, Psychological and Social Services Nutrition Services

Today we will share information about Radon. 4

Radon is an invisible radioactive gas that is naturally occurring, odorless and tasteless. 5

6 Radon Zones Across the U.S. Note: these maps indicate average risk by county. However, high levels of radon may be found in any home or school Surgeon General’s Warning: Radon Causes Lung Cancer

RADON 7 This is radon’s radiation decay breakdown. Uranium Radium

Radon can be found all over the U.S. Radon comes from the natural radioactive breakdown of uranium in soil, rock and water. It moves into the air that we breathe. It can get into all types of buildings — homes, offices, schools — and the result can be a high indoor radon level. 8

9 RADON 1. Cracks in solid floors 2. Construction joints 3. Cracks in walls 4. Gaps in suspended floors 5. Gaps around service pipes 6. Cavities inside walls 7. The water supply Source: EPA Radon enters into a building through: 9

How big is the radon problem? Approximately 10 percent (8 million homes) have radon levels above four picocuries per liter (4 pCi/L). EPA recommends mitigating your home if the tested level is 4 pCi/L or above, and consider mitigation fixes if the level is between 2-4 pCi/L. EPA estimates exposure to radon may cause approximately 20,000 lung cancer deaths per year. 10

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12 RISK COMPARISONS Comparable Exposure pCi/l Level Comparable Risk of Lung Cancer ̶ ̶̶ 60 Times Non-Smoker Risk 1 Pack-a-Day Smoker ½ Pack-a-Day Smoker Non-Smoker Risk 20 Chest X-Rays per Year 200 Times Average Indoor Level 10 Times Average Indoor Level EPA Guideline for Continuous Exposure Average Indoor Level Average Outdoor Level 0.2 ̶

Radon can be a health hazard It causes lung cancer Simple fix – Test, Fix, Save a Life 13

If you haven’t tested your school buildings for radon – TEST THEM SOON!

Testing and Mitigation Information 15

Short-Term Radon Test Kit 16 $ $12.00 each Long-Term Radon Test Kit $ $30.00 each

Seal around Entry Points System Failure Warning Device Radon Exhaust Pipe (typically hidden in closet or between walls) ExhaustFan Typical Radon Mitigation System Sub-slab suction reverses the pressure between occupied space and the source by creation of a negative pressure field under the slab Pressure Field 17

18 Mitigating Radon in a Crawlspace

To wrap this up – It’s important. Test your school for radon. Test, Fix, Save a Life 19

Learn more about radon: SOS-RADON ( ) 20

Radon Contacts EPA Region Iowa Kansas Missouri Nebraska

Thank you! 22