AARST_Radon_Reporter_July_2022

THE RADON REPORTER | 17 GOVERNMENTAFFAIRS Radon Testing and Policy: Schools and Childcare Facilities AARST Government Affairs Children breathe deeper, faster, and proportionately more air than adults. A case study by the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry concluded that due to lung shape and size differences, children have higher estimated radiation doses than adults. Their lungs are developing faster, making them more sensitive to indoor air quality. Children are among the most sensitive to radon gas. Children and adolescents grow quickly, and their cells are more sensitive to radiation. Individuals exposed to elevated levels of radon in their youth are more likely to develop radon-related illnesses later in life. Across the US, legislators and regulators are increasingly recognizing the imperative to test the buildings where young people learn and grow, mitigate high radon levels in them, and refrain from building new ones without radon-reducing systems. These basic measures will help to prevent lung cancer and represent a wise investment in buildings that serve generations of children. The AARST Government Affairs Committee, which leads AARST efforts to support effective public policy, has created toolkits for key public policies. On the next two pages are background material and the model legislation from the toolkits for radon policy in schools and childcare facilities. A key component of both model laws is a requirement to report results to parents, staff, and others. The Environmental Law Institute has developed detailed reports on schools and childcare policies: Radon in Schools: Overview of State Laws Radon in Child Care: Review of State Policies Unfortunately, not all of the policies enacted - across 22 states - require the use of certified personnel, and not all require adherence to the applicable current measurement, mitigation, or new construction consensus standards. Radon professionals and other stakeholders need to be involved in the advocacy process - to support radon policies for schools and childcare facilities, and to ensure that all new and existing policies are fully protective of children, teachers, and staff through requirements for qualified personnel and proven methods as provided in the model laws.