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New map shows where radon might be a problem
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Health department urges locals to take action against radonBy Katie Demeria
WINCHESTER -- Radon exposure is the second leading cause of lung cancer, after smoking. For non-smokers, it is the leading cause. And, according to the Virginia Department of Health, few individuals are doing anything to fight it.
January is national radon awareness month, and Charles Devine III, director of the Lord Fairfax Health District, said his team is working to raise awareness of the dangers of radon.
Radon is a naturally occurring gas produced by the radioactive decay of uranium, Devine said. It leaks into homes when foundations disturb collections of uranium, and the gas decays further when inhaled in the lungs, becoming trapped there.
"The entire Shenandoah Valley is in Zone One, which is the area with the greatest risk of radon," Devine continued. "It's a real issue that people should be paying attention to."
Virginia is categorized as a Zone One state, though areas in the Chesapeake region are listed as Zone Three.
According to Ryan D. Paris, radiation safety specialist of the radiological heath program, the prevalence of radon depends on geographic history.
"This is a mountainous area, so you're going to see it here because the ground has been shifting over the years, bringing bedrocks closer to the surface," he said.
"You see lower levels near the oceans because that land has been underwater in the recent history -- though that does not mean radon is not there," Paris continued.
The only way to see if radon is an issue in a home, Devine said, is to set up a test.
"It's very simple -- the packets cost maybe about $15, and you set it up in your home, let it sit for a few days, and then seal it and mail it in to be tested," he said. "It does not require much."
Each home, regardless of the radon levels of the houses nearby, should be tested, Devine added. Pockets of uranium can be found anywhere, and while one house on a street could have very little, another could have quite a bit.
"You can never reach zero with radon," he said. "It is found in every building, but the amount can be so small that it does not matter. It's when those amounts increase that people need to take action."
The Environmental Protection Agency's radon level recommendation is below 4.0 pCi/L. According to Devine, ratings in the Shenandoah Valley have ranged between 15.0 and 100.0 pCi/L. A home in Winchester recently had a radon level of 98 pCi/L.
"This is a serious health risk," Paris said. "All major health organizations around the world, including the World Health Organization, are saying this is something that should be addressed. This is a relatively new problem, it started getting more attention in 1984."
The first step, Paris continued, is for homeowners to test their homes using the simple radon test. If the level is found to be too high, radon professionals can be hired to clear the home, usually by creating ventilation in the foundation so the gas can escape.
The Lord Fairfax Health District will be distributing free radon test kits at the Feb. 22 Community Wellness Festival at the Apple Blossom Mall in Winchester.
"We're trying to make it easier for people, because this is a big problem that is not getting as much attention as it should," he said.
New map shows where radon might be a problem
OLYMPIA — A new map depicting potential risks from radon gas shows that Kitsap County contains at least four areas where homes have an increased likelihood of containing the radioactive element, which can cause lung cancer.
Radon is a colorless, odorless byproduct created during the decay of uranium found in rocks. Because radon is a gas, it can seep into homes and be inhaled by the occupants.
The overall geology on the Kitsap Peninsula creates a relatively low risk for exposure to radon, as shown on the new map at the state Department of Health's website, https://fortress.wa.gov/doh/wtn/WTNPortal/IndicatorPages/RadSmokeLC.aspx. But no place can be considered safe from radon without running tests, according to Mike Brennan, a radiation health specialist with the Department of Health. A simple and inexpensive home test kit can provide assurance or suggest other steps to be taken.
The amount of radon moving through the soil depends on the location of uranium formations, the type of soil and the presence of groundwater, which can inhibit the movement of gas, Brennan said.
Homes sealed tight for energy efficiency might increase the concentration of radon, especially where the gas can enter through an unprotected basement or crawl space. The state has adopted special building codes to protect against radon in eight Eastern Washington counties where the incidence of the radioactive gas is high.
Information about the geology of Kitsap County is not new, but the new maps highlight areas where rock formations have the potential for uranium deposits and thus a higher overall risk of radon exposure. Those areas include:
— The southern tip of Bainbridge Island, including Restoration and Beans points.
— The northern part of South Kitsap, including Waterman Point, Watauga Beach and Manchester State Park.
— The northern end of Bremerton’s Rocky Point and portions of Tracyton across Port Washington Narrows.
— Areas near Green and Gold mountains — including areas east of Lake Tahuyeh, southeast of Lake Symington and southwest of Wildcat Lake.
The areas near Green and Gold mountains contain granitic rocks, a type of formation associated with uranium in other parts of the world, according to Tim Walsh, a geologist with the state Department of Natural Resources. The other areas contain a type of marine shale associated with uranium elsewhere, he said.
The Environmental Protection Agency has established an indoor radiation level of 4 picocuries per liter or greater for people to take action. Test results reported by the Department of Health show that about 1 percent of the homes in Kitsap County are above that level, while another 1 percent are between 2 and 4 pCi/l.
The difficulty in using such a broad range of data is that nobody really knows the levels in their home without a test, Brennan said.
"The take-away message is that because radon is invisible and odorless, if you don’t test, you don’t know what the levels are," he said. “Testing is not expensive, and it is quite easy.â€
Brennan recommends that every home be tested for radon in the living area of the house. Home-test kits are available at hardware stores or online, and radiation experts are available to help people if they find radiation above safety levels. For information about radon and other issues, visit “Washington Tracking Network.â€