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Radon is a naturally occurring, colorless, odorless, radioactive gas that can get into any type of building, including school buildings.

Radon Testing

Radon levels may be highly variable from one building to the next. Radon testing is strongly encouraged, inexpensive, and easy. It is the only way to know if your school has high levels of radon.

• Test every five years, or two years with a mitigation system in place.
• Test during the winter months when levels tend to be higher. Remediate when levels are 4 picocuries/liter (pCi/L) or more. Consider remediating for radon levels between 2 pCi/L and 4 pCi/L.
• Take preventive design and construction measures if a school is constructed in an area with 11% or more of homes with radon estimates above 4 pCi/L.
• It is the school district's responsibility to be aware of the geological potential for high levels of radon and to test and mitigate as appropriate. Visit the New York State Department of Health Radon Monitoring Program to see state and county maps of short-term basement and long-term living area radon measurements.
  

Radon Entrance Points

• Cracks in solid floors and walls
• Cavities inside walls
• Construction joints
• Exposed soil, as in a sump
• Cracks between poured concrete (slab) and blocks
• Loose fitting pipes
• Water supply

Health Effects of Radon

• Radon is the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers
• Lung cancer risk in children may be almost twice as high as in adults

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