Utah homes are recording high levels of radon gas. Photo credit: Laura Seitz, Deseret News
SALT LAKE CITY — A new Utah Geological survey reported that 33% of all Utah homes have dangerous levels of a cancer-causing gas.
Radon is the leading cause of lung cancer for non-smokers. Radon naturally occurs in soil across the world but can be found in higher concentrations in some areas including indoors.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, even at the average level of gas found in most homes which is 1.3 picocuries per liter, written as pCi/L, two out of every 1000 people will develop lung cancer. However, the average level of radon gas in Utah is 5.3 pCi/L.
Because of these findings, the Department of Environmental Quality, DEQ wants to increase the public’s awareness of radon gas by including testing for homebuyers. Currently, real estate laws do not require any discussion about radon in the homebuying process.
The DEQ also wants mandatory testing in schools, daycare centers, prisons and public buildings a minimum of every five years.
The DEQ hopes to reduce future exposure to radon by adopting the latest International Residential Code into Utah’s Construction and Fire Code Act, making passive or active Radon mitigation system installation during construction a requirement.
Another goal of the DEQ is public access to low-cost testing kits which can be ordered at radon.utah.gov.
You can learn about Radon Gas in this interview on Money Making Sense.