RADON
CUSTOMIZED ENVIRONMENTAL
TRAINING
WELCOME
RADON 1/ 60
© Copyright Training 4 Today 2000 Publsihed by Envirowin Software LLC
INSTRUCTOR
Insert Instructor Name Here
RADON 2/ 60
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OBJECTIVES
 Define Radon
 Discuss How Radon Causes Cancer.
 Discuss How Radon Enters Buildings.
 Discuss Radon Testing.
 Discuss Use of Contractors.
 Discuss Radon Mitigation Techniques.
 Discuss Radon Records.
 Discuss Radon in Water.
RADON 3/ 60
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GOALS
 Understand Where Radon Comes From.
 Understand The Dangers of Radon.
 Understand the Need to Test For Radon.
 Understand How to Hire a Contractor.
 Understand the Different Radon Mitigation Strategies.
 Understand the Records to Maintain.
 Be Familiar With the Problem of Radon in Water.
RADON 4/ 60
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BACKGROUND
 EPA estimates there are 14,000 to 30,000 deaths every year
attributed to lung cancer caused by radon inhalation.
 Dangerous levels of radon gas are found in 1 out of 15 homes in
the United States.
 Elevated levels of radon gas are found in 1 out of 5 homes in the
United States.
 Radon induced lung cancer costs over $2 Billion dollars per year in
both direct and indirect health care costs.
 Radon can also be found in water supplies.
RADON 5/ 60
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LEARNERS
 Supervisors
 Facility Engineers
 Maintenance Personnel
 Department Managers
 Building Occupants
 Process Specialists
 Environmental and Safety Committees
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OVERVIEW
The goal of this course is to provide supervisors
with the tools needed to help recognize the problem
of indoor radon. It recommends practical, actions
that can be carried out by facility management,
maintenance personnel and building occupants.
The course will help you to integrate good radon
testing and mitigation activities into your existing
organization and identify which of your staff have
the necessary skills to carry out those activities.
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WHAT THIS COURSE DOES NOT DO
The course is not intended to provide information to
test or mitigate radon. These specialties required
training beyond the intended scope of this course.
Where this expertise is needed, outside assistance
should be solicited.
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INDOOR RADON ABATEMENT ACT
 The Indoor Radon Abatement Act of 1988
 Title III of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA)
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FEDERAL REGULATIONS
Pertinent Regulations:
 40 CFR 190 – Radon Proficiency Programs.
 40 CFT Parts 141 and 142
 National Primary Drinking Water Regulations;
 Radon-222; Proposed Rule.
 29 CFR 1910.1096 – Definition of an Airborne
Radioactivity Area.
RADON 10/ 60
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INTRODUCTION
Environmental Risk Comparisons
Annual Cancer Deaths
Pesticide Applications
100
Hazardous Waste Sites
1,100
Toxic Outdoor Pollutants
2,000
Pesticide Residues on Food
6,000
RADON
14,000
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WHAT IS RADON?
 Radon-222 is a radioactive gas
released during the natural decay of
thorium and uranium.
 Naturally occurring in rock and soil.
 Odorless, invisible, and without
taste, radon cannot be detected with
the human senses.
 Radon-222 decays into radioactive
elements, two of which -- polonium218 and polonium-214 -- emit alpha
particles, which are highly effective in
damaging lung tissues.
RADON 12/ 60
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HOW RADON CAUSES CANCER
 If inhaled, radon decay products (polonium-218 and
polonium-214, solid form), unattached or attached to the
surface of aerosols, dusts, and smoke particles,
become deeply lodged or trapped in the lungs, where
they can radiate and penetrate the cells of mucous
membranes, bronchi, and other pulmonary tissues.
 The ionizing radiation energy affecting the bronchial
epithelial cells is believed to initiate the process of
cancer causing process.
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HOW RADON CAUSES CANCER
RADON 14/ 60
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SOURCES OF RADON
 Outdoors radon poses significantly less risk than indoors.
 Indoors radon can accumulate to significant levels.
 The magnitude of radon concentration indoors depends primarily
on a building's construction and the amount of radon in the
underlying soil.
 Radon gas can enter a buildings from the soil through cracks in
concrete floors and walls, floor drains, sump pumps, construction
joints, and tiny cracks or pores in hollow-block walls.
 Radon levels are generally highest in basements and ground
floor rooms that are in contact with the soil.
 Well water is another source of radon.
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RESULTS OF STATE SURVEYS OF ACTUAL
INDOOR RADON CONCENTRATIONS
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HOW IS RADON MEASURED?
 Radon is measured in picoCuries per liter of air
(pCi/L), a measurement of radioactivity.
 The U.S. EPA and the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention recommend that buildings with radon
levels 4 pCi/L, or greater, be fixed.
 It should be remembered that radon is a radioactive
gas.
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WHAT WORKPLACES ARE MOST
AFFECTED?
WHAT WORKPLACES ARE AFFECTED?
 The level of ventilation in the workplace is an important indicator.
 Radon levels are generally low in workshops and other well
ventilated workplaces.
 Problems have been found in more confined workplaces such as
shops, offices and public buildings where rates of ventilation are
relatively low.
 Building construction is an important indicator because radon is
often drawn into the building through cracks in floors, gaps around
pipes, cables, drains etc.
 High radon levels are most severe in cellars and basements.
RADON 18/ 60
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HOW RADON ENTERS A
BUILDING
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.
G.
H.
I.
J.
K.
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Cracked slab
Spaces between bricks
Pores in concrete blocks
Floor-wall joints
Exposed soil
Weeping drain tile
Mortar joints
Loose fitting pipe
Open tops of block walls
Building materials (rock)
Well water
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RADON TESTING
 Professional radon testing services can cost as high as $300.
 Home radon test kits can cost as little as $10 per kit.
 Two types of methods to detect radon.
– Radon Gas Measurement Methods: Detect the amount of radon
gas build-up.
– Radon Decay Measurement Methods. These look at the source
material and measure how much radioactive decay has taken
place.
 The most accurate and reliable radon measurements are those that
continuously monitor radon.
 Make sure tests “Meet EPA Requirements.”
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RADON GAS MEASUREMENT
METHODS
1. AC - Activated Charcoal Adsorption
 Uses an airtight container with activated charcoal that
is opened in the area to be sampled and radon in the air
adsorbs onto the charcoal granules.
 At the end of the sampling period, the container is
sealed and may be sent to a laboratory for analysis.
 The gamma decay from the radon adsorbed to the
charcoal is counted
 Charcoal adsorption detectors, depending on design,
are deployed from 2 to 7 days.
 Use of a diffusion barrier over the charcoal reduces
the effects of drafts and high humidity.
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RADON GAS MEASUREMENT
METHODS
2. AT - Alpha Track Detection (filtered)
 The detector is a small piece of special plastic or film
inside a small container.
 Air being tested diffuses through a filter covering a
hole in the container. When alpha particles from radon
and its decay products strike the detector, they cause
damage tracks. At the end of the test the container is
sealed and returned to a laboratory for reading.
 Exposure of alpha track detectors is usually 3 to 12
months, but because they are true integrating devices,
alpha track detectors may be exposed for shorter
lengths of time when they are measuring higher radon
concentrations.
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RADON GAS MEASUREMENT
METHODS
3. UT - Unfiltered Track Detection
 The unfiltered alpha track detector operates on the
same principle as the alpha track detector, except that
there is no filter present to remove radon decay
products and other alpha particle emitters.
 EPA currently recommends that these devices not be
used when the equilibrium fraction is less than 0.35 or
greater than 0.60 without adjusting the calibration factor.
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RADON GAS MEASUREMENT
METHODS
4. LS - Charcoal Liquid Scintillation
 This method employs a small vial containing
activated charcoal for sampling the radon.
 After an exposure period of 2 to 7 days (depending
on design) the vial is sealed and returned to a
laboratory for analysis.
 Analysis is accomplished by treating the charcoal with
a scintillation fluid, then analyzing the fluid using a
scintillation counter. The radon concentration of the
sample site is determined by converting from counts per
minute.
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RADON GAS MEASUREMENT
METHODS
5. CR - Continuous Radon Monitoring
 This method category includes those devices that
record real-time continuous measurements of radon
gas.
 Air is either pumped or diffuses into a counting
chamber. The counting chamber is typically a
scintillation cell or ionization chamber.
 Scintillation counts are processed by electronics, and
radon concentrations for predetermined intervals are
stored in the instrument's memory or transmitted directly
to a printer.
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RADON GAS MEASUREMENT
METHODS
6. EL - Electret Ion Chamber: Long-Term
 For this method, an electrostatically charged disk
detector (electret) is situated within a small container
(ion chamber).
 During the measurement period, radon diffuses
through a filter-covered opening in the chamber, where
the ionization resulting from the decay of radon and its
progeny reduces the voltage on the electret.
 EL detectors may be deployed for 1 to 12 months.
Since the electret-ion chambers are true integrating
detectors, the EL type can be exposed at shorter
intervals if radon levels are sufficiently high.
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RADON GAS MEASUREMENT
METHODS
7. ES - Electret Ion Chamber: Short-Term
 An electrostatically charged disk detector (electret) is
situated within a small container (ion chamber).
 During the measurement period, radon diffuses
through a filter-covered opening in the chamber, where
the ionization resulting from the decay of radon and its
progeny reduces the voltage on the electret.
ES detectors may be deployed for 2 to 7 days. Since
electret-ion chambers are true integrating detectors, the
ES type can be exposed at longer intervals if radon
levels are sufficiently low.
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RADON GAS MEASUREMENT
METHODS
8. GC - Grab Radon/Activated Charcoal
 Requires a skilled technician to sample radon by
using a pump or a fan to draw air through a cartridge
filled with activated charcoal.
 Sampling takes from 15 minutes to 1 hour.
 After sampling, the cartridge is placed in a sealed
container and taken to a laboratory where analysis is
approximately the same as for the AC or LS methods.
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RADON GAS MEASUREMENT
METHODS
9. GB - Grab Radon/Pump-Collapsible Bag
 Uses a sample bag made of material impervious to
radon.
 At the sample site, a skilled technician using a
portable pump fills the bag with air, then transports it to
the laboratory for analysis.
 Usually, the analysis method is to transfer air from the
bag to a scintillation cell and perform analysis in the
manner described for the grab radon/scintillation cell
(GS) on the next slide.
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RADON GAS MEASUREMENT
METHODS
10. GS - Grab Radon/Scintillation Cell
 A skilled operator draws air through a filter to remove
radon decay products into a scintillation cell
 To analyze the air sample, the window end of the cell
is placed on a photomultiplier tube to count the
scintillations (light pulses) produced when alpha
particles from radon decay strike the zinc sulfide coating
on the inside of the cell. A calculation is made to convert
the counts to radon concentrations.
 This test takes less than an hour to complete.
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RADON GAS MEASUREMENT
METHODS
11. SC - Three-Day Integrating Evacuated Scintillation Cell
 A scintillation cell is fitted with a restrictor valve and a
negative pressure gauge.
Prior to deployment, the scintillation cell is evacuated.
At the sample site, a skilled technician notes negative
pressure reading and opens the valve. The flow through
the valve is slow enough that it takes more than the 3-day
sample period to fill the cell.
At the end of the sample period, the technician closes
the valve, notes the negative pressure gauge reading,
and returns with the cell to the laboratory. Analysis
procedures are approximately the same as for the GS
method described above.
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RADON GAS MEASUREMENT
METHODS
12. PB - Pump-Collapsible Bag (1-day)
 A sample bag impervious to radon is filled over a
24-hour period.
 This is usually accomplished by a pump programmed
to pump small amounts of air at predetermined intervals
during the sampling period.
 After sampling, analysis procedures are similar to
those for the GB method.
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RADON DECAY PRODUCT
MEASUREMENT METHODS
13. CW - Continuous Working Level Monitoring
 This method encompasses those devices that record
real-time continuous measurement of radon decay
products.
 Radon decay products are sampled by continuously
pumping air through a filter. A detector such as a
diffused-junction or surface-barrier detector counts the
alpha particles produced by radon decay products as
they decay on this filter. The monitor typically contains a
microprocessor that stores the number of counts for
predetermined time intervals for later recall.
 Measurement time for the program measurement test
is approximately 24 hours.
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RADON DECAY PRODUCT
MEASUREMENT METHODS
14. GW - Grab Working Level
 For this method, a known volume of air is pulled
through a filter, collecting the radon decay products onto
the filter.
 Sampling time usually is 5 minutes. The decay
products are counted using an alpha detector.
 Counting must be done with precise timing after the
filter sample is taken. The two counting procedures
most commonly used are the Kusnitz and the Tsivoglou
methods.
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RADON DECAY PRODUCT
MEASUREMENT METHODS
15. RP - Radon Progeny (Decay Product) Integrating
Sampling Unit
 For this method, a low-flow air pump pulls air
continuously through a filter. Depending on the detector
used, the radiation emitted by the decay products
trapped on the filter is registered on two
thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLDs), an alpha track
detector, or an electret.
 Devices require access to a household electrical
supply, but do not require a skilled operator.
 The sampling period should be at least 72 hours.
 After sampling, the detector assembly is shipped to a
laboratory where analysis is performed.
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HIRING A CONTRACTOR
 EPA recommends that you have a
qualified contractor fix your building
because lowering high radon levels
requires specific technical knowledge and
special skills.
Without the proper equipment or
technical knowledge, you could actually
increase your radon level or create other
potential hazards.
 If you decide to do the work yourself,
get information on appropriate training
courses and copies of EPA's technical
guidance documents from your state
radon office.
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HIRING A CONTRACTOR
Here are some questions to ask before a contractor prior to
hire:
1. Will the contractor provide references or photographs, as
well as test results of 'before' and 'after' radon levels of past
radon reduction work?
2. Can the contractor explain what the work will involved?
3. Does the contractor charge a fee for any diagnostic
tests?
4. Did the contractor inspect your home's structure before
giving you an estimate?
5. Did the contractor review the quality of your radon
measurement results?
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HIRING A CONTRACTOR
Do the contractor’s proposals and estimates include:
1. Proof of liability insurance, bonded and licensed?
2. Proof of state certification and/or RPP listing?
3. Diagnostic testing prior to design and installation of a
radon reduction system?
4. Installation of a warning device to caution you if the
radon reduction system is not working correctly?
5. Testing after installation to make sure the radon
reduction system works well?
6. A guarantee to reduce radon levels to 4 pCi/L or
below, and if so, for how long?
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THE CONTRACT
Contracts should include the following information:
1. The total cost of the job
2. The time needed to complete the work.
3. The contractor will obtain necessary licenses and follow
required building codes.
4. A statement that the contractor carries liability insurance
and is bonded.
5. A guarantee the contractor will be responsible for damage
and clean-up after the job.
6. Details of warranties, guarantees, or other optional
features, including the acceptable resulting radon level.
7. A declaration stating whether any warranties or guarantees
are transferable if you sell the building.
8. A description of what the owner is to do.
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RADON MITIGATION STRATEGIES
 EPA generally recommends methods which prevent
the entry of radon.
 Reducing radon entry by:
- Collecting it prior to entry into the building and
discharging it to a safe location.
- Modifying building pressure differentials or sealing
entry points.
 Methods that reduce radon concentrations after entry
by:
- Dilution with increased ventilation.
- Filtering radon from the air.
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SUB-SLAB DEPRESSURIZATION
 Reduces radon
concentrations 8099%
 Works best if air
can move easily
through the soil
under the slab.
 Costs normally are
under $3000 with an
annual heat/air
conditioning loss of
$150-200.
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SUMP/DRAIN-TILE
DEPRESSURIZATION
 Reduces radon
levels by 90-99%.
 It works best if
drain tiles form a
complete loop
around the building.
 Costs normally
are under $2000
with an annual
heat/air conditioning
loss of $150-200.
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BLOCK WALL
DEPRESSURIZATION
 Reduces radon
50-99%.
 Works only in
buildings that have
hollow block walls.
 Requires sealing
of the openings.
 Costs $3000
with an annual loss
of $150-300 for air
conditioning/
heating.
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SUB-SLAB PRESSURIZATION
 Works best
with tight
basements
isolated from
outdoors and
upper floors.
 Discourages
entry of radon.
 Reduces
radon by 5099%
 Costs $5001,500.
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VENTILATION
 Ventilation increases
the fresh air make-up to
a building and dilutes
radon concentrations.
It also reduces the
negative pressure
within a building,
thereby decreasing the
radon entry.
Negative pressures
build up by a tightly
sealed house running
its heating and air
conditioning system.
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VENTILATION
There are various ventilation approaches such as:
 Isolating and ventilating substructures such as crawl
spaces.
Passively adding fresh air make-up to working
spaces.
 Actively adding fresh air make-up to a working
space while removing interior air with some means of
heat recovery.
It should be noted that during ventilation methods,
there is significant heat and air conditioning air loss
resulting in higher utility bills.
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CHARCOAL ADSORPTION FOR LOW
LEVELS OF RADON
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HEPA FILTRATION OF RADON
DECAY PRODUCTS
 High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filters screen
the finest particles out.
 Many Radon Decay Products (RDPs) plate out on the
surface of the filter.
 HEPA filters screen out other air contaminants.
 HEPA filters must be placed in many rooms or in the
central air conditioning system.
 Use of a HEPA filtration system of Radon Decay
Products still requires radon test monitoring.
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ELECTROSTATIC AIR CLEANERS
 Electrostatic air cleaners remove dust particles that
have Radon Decay Products attached. These cleaners
do not effect the radon.
 As dust particles are removed from the air, the
unattached fraction of RDPs can increase in the room.
 These cleaners remove other air contaminants and
like the HEPA filter they must be placed in every room
or in a central air conditioner.
 Electrostatic air cleaners must have a radon testing
device to measure their effectiveness.
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OTHER TECHNIQUES
Sealing Cracks
 Sealing cracks and other openings in the foundation
is a basic part of most approaches to radon reduction.
 Sealing does two things, it limits the flow of radon into
the building and reduces the loss of conditioned air.
 EPA does not recommend the use of sealing alone to
reduce radon
Pressurization
 Pressurization uses a fan to blow air into the
basement or work area from either upstairs or outdoors.
 It creates enough pressure at the lowest level indoors
to prevent radon from entering into the building.
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OTHER TECHNIQUES
Heat Recovery Ventilator
 Heat recovery ventilators (HRV), also called an air-toair heat exchangers, can be installed to increase
ventilation.
 An HRV will increase building ventilation while using
the heated or cooled air being exhausted to warm or
cool the incoming air.
 HRVs also can improve air quality in buildings that
have other indoor pollutants. There could be significant
increase in the heating and cooling costs with an HRV,
but not as great as ventilation without heat recovery.
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RECORDS TO KEEP
EPA recommends that radon mitigation contractors keep
records of all radon mitigation work performed and maintain
those records for 3 years or for the period of any warranty or
guarantee, whichever is longer. These records should
include:
1.The Building Investigation Summary and floor plan sketch.
2. Pre- and post-mitigation radon test data.
3. Pre- and post-mitigation diagnostic test data.
4. Copies of contracts and warranties.
5. A narrative or pictorial description of mitigation system(s)
installed.
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UPON COMPLETION OF A
PROJECT
Upon completion of the mitigation project, contractors
shall provide clients the following information:
1. Any building permits required by local codes.
2. Copies of the Building Investigation Summary and
floor plan sketch.
3. Pre-and post-mitigation radon test data.
4. Copies of contracts and warranties.
5. A description of the mitigation system installed and its
basic operating principles.
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RADON IN WATER
 Radon is able to dissolve in water.
 The radon gas later escapes from
the water and goes into the air, raising
the room’s radon content.
 Each year, 183 people die from
exposure to radon in drinking water.
 The primary health risks from radon
in drinking water are lung cancer, from
inhaling radon discharged from water
used in the home.
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RADON IN WATER
 There is currently no federally-enforced drinking
water standard for radon.
 EPA is proposing to regulate radon in drinking water
from community water suppliers.
 EPA does not regulate private wells.
 EPA is proposing to require community water
suppliers to provide water with radon levels no higher
than 4,000 pCi/L, which contributes about 0.4 pCi/L of
radon to the air in your building.
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RADON IN WATER
 If you have tested the air in your building and found a
radon problem, you may also want to find out whether
your water is a concern.
 If you get water from a public water system: Find out
whether your water system gets its water from a surface
or a ground water source.
 If you have a private well: EPA recommends testing
your drinking water for radon. Call the Safe Drinking
Water Hotline (1-800-426-4791) or the Radon Hotline
(1-800-SOS-RADON) for more information.
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RADON IN WATER
 Radon can be removed from water by using one of
two methods: aeration treatment or granular activated
carbon (GAC) treatment.
 Aeration treatment involves spraying water or mixing
it with air, and then venting the air from the water before
use. Aeration is more efficient than GAC.
 GAC treatment filters water through carbon. Radon
attaches to the carbon and leaves the water free of
radon.
 Some building owners opt for a service contract from
the installer to provide for carbon replacement and
general system maintenance.
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TIPS FOR USING CONTRACTORS
 Remember, You Control Your Facility or Area!
 Review Procedures With Them Before Starting the Job!
 Ensure They Are Properly Trained!
 Determine Their Environmental Compliance Record!
 Determine Who Is in Charge of Their People!
 Determine How They Will Affect Your Facility’s
Environmental Compliance!
RADON 58/ 60
© Copyright Training 4 Today 2000 Publsihed by Envirowin Software LLC
ELEMENTS OF A SUCCESSFUL
RADON PROGRAM
1. TEST INDOORS FOR RADON.
2. USE A QUALIFIED CONTRACTOR FOR TESTING AND
MITIGATION.
3. MAINTAIN ANY RADON MITIGATION EQUIPMENT.
4. PERIODIC FOLLOW-UP
RADON 59/ 60
© Copyright Training 4 Today 2000 Publsihed by Envirowin Software LLC
THE IMPORTANCE OF A
CLEAN ENVIRONMENT
“I would ask all of us to remember
that protecting our environment is
about protecting where we live and
how we live. Let us join together to
protect our health, our economy,
and our communities -- so all of us
and our children and our
grandchildren can enjoy a healthy
and a prosperous life.”
RADON 60/ 60
© Copyright Training 4 Today 2000 Publsihed by Envirowin Software LLC
Carol Browner
Former EPA
Administrator