News

Assessment of Risks

Mon, 01 Aug 2011 09:43:44 EDT

Updated Assessment of Risks from Radon in Homes

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has updated the estimates of lung cancer risks from indoor radon based on the National Academy of Sciences' (NAS) latest report on radon, the Biological Effects of Ionizing Radiation (BEIR) VI Report (1999). EPA worked closely with the Science Advisory Board (SAB), an independent panel of scientific experts, to determine how best to apply the risk models developed by the BEIR VI committee. The SAB's advice and recommendations were incorporated modifying and extending the methods and approaches used in BEIR VI to construct a single model yielding results midway between the results obtained using the two models preferred by the BEIR VI committee. The Agency's updated calculation of a best estimate of annual lung cancer deaths in the U.S. from radon is about 21,000 (with a range of 8,000 to 45,000), which is consistent with the estimates of the BEIR VI Report. A single risk model also permitted the Agency to calculate a numerical estimate of the risk per unit exposure [lung cancer deaths per working level month (WLM)] that will be used to update estimated lung cancer risks from radon in various publications, including "A Citizen's Guide to Radon" and the "Home Buyer's and Seller's Guide to Radon."

The full text of the updated risk assessment, "EPA Assessment of Risks from Radon in Homes" (EPA 402-R-03-003) is available as a downloadable Adobe Acrobat PDF file - www.epa.gov/radiation/docs/assessment/radon_in_homes.pdf

The following is an updated chart of the lifetime risk of lung cancer death per person from radon exposure in homes (excerpted from the updated radon risk assessment).

Radon Level ^a	Lifetime Risk of Lung Cancer Death (per person) from Radon Exposure in Homes ^b
pCi/L	Never Smokers	Current Smokers ^c	General Population
20	36 out of 1,000	260 out of 1000	110 out of 1000
10	18 out of 1,000	150 out of 1000	56 out of 1,000
8	15 out of 1,000	120 out of 1000	45 out of 1,000
4	7 out of 1,000	62 out of 1,000	23 out of 1,000
2	37 out of 10,000	32 out of 1,000	12 out of 1,000
1.25	23 out of 10,000	20 out of 1,000	73 out of 10,000
0.4	73 out of 100,000	64 out of 10,000	23 out of 10,000
a Assumes constant lifetime exposure in homes at these levels. b Estimates are subject to uncertainties as discussed in Chapter VIII of the risk assessment. c Note: BEIR VI did not specify excess relative risks for current smokers.

EPA's updated calculation of a best estimate of annual lung cancer deaths from radon is about 21,000 (with an uncertainty range of 8,000 to 45,000) and is consistent with the estimates of the BEIR VI Report. [EPA's previous best estimate of annual lung cancer deaths from inhaled radon was based on the earlier BEIR IV Report and was about 14,000 (with an uncertainty range of 7,000 to 30,000).]

Teachers Demand Action

Mon, 01 Aug 2011 09:43:44 EDT

Metro Nashville Teachers Demand Action Following Radon Investigation

March 30, 2011 • Ben Hall, WTVF-TV

Watch this WTVF-TV news segment.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Metro Nashville teachers are demanding action from the school board following a NewsChannel 5 investigation. They're concerned about dangerous levels of the cancer-causing gas radon in classrooms.

Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer.

The last time Metro schools were tested for radon was in 1989, as part of an EPA study. Those tests showed extremely high levels of the radioactive gas.

"I would not want my child in there, or my wife, or myself," said environmental engineer Doug Taylor, as he looked through school maps detailing radon test results.

NewsChannel 5 Investigates obtained the maps that show radon levels in every classroom of the 11 schools tested by the EPA in 1989.

"I mean they're extremely high" remarked Taylor.

Crieve Hall Elementary was one the schools tested, and it's still operating today.

Every classroom at Crieve Hall exceeded the EPA safety standard for the cancer-causing gas. Two classrooms were 15 times higher than acceptable levels, and one classroom was more than 20 times higher with a reading of 81.9 picoCuries per liter.

How unusual is a reading like 81.9?

Doug Taylor responded, "Seldom do a I see numbers above 25."

The EPA standard is 4.

But tests showed many classrooms well above 25 picoCuries.

Take Two Rivers High School, now Middle School. Tests showed three classrooms above 100 picoCuries, and many classrooms well above 60.

"You've got 116 and 136 over here," Taylor said as he reviewed the map of Two Rivers.

The EPA lowered radon levels at Two Rivers, and Metro claims it lowered levels other schools, although school officials provided no proof of any work done after 1989.

View school maps showing EPA radon test results in 1989. Anything above 4 pCl is considered unsafe

Still, despite warnings from the EPA about a "serious radon problem," Metro hasn't tested any school in more than 20 years.

"It does make me angry," Taylor said. "You've got documents that you showed me, that they knew many, many years ago that radon was a problem in the schools."

Metro teachers are concerned as well.

The head of the Metro Nashville Education Association told NewsChannel 5 Investigates, "This information on radon is a very important issue to teachers and students, and we will take it seriously."

"The school board hasn't taken the radon issue very seriously," said Eric Huth, president of the MNEA, which represents teachers and pushes for safe working conditions.

We showed him the school district's own notes from the time. They discussed radon levels that were found in 1989, and concluded teachers exposed for 10 years had a 1 in 40 chance of getting lung cancer.

"I'm hoping that this new revelation will light a fire to make the school district more responsive to the health and safety needs of both teachers and students," Huth said.

As NewsChannel 5 Investigates first reported, Metro said officials they didn't test because they didn't think it was required.

But our investigation revealed a law passed by the Metro council in 1988, that requires radon levels to be below the EPA standard in Metro buildings - including schools.

We also discovered that the Health Department passed a regulation in 1989, requiring testing in schools every five years.

But both the Health Department and Metro Schools claim they didn't know about those regulations until we brought them to their attention.

NewsChannel 5 Investigates asked the man in charge of safety and maintenance at Metro Schools, "Do you know how serious the radon problem is 20 years later?"

Thomas Hatfield answered, "I do not. I don't know if it's serious or not serious. I do think it deserves following up and some more testing."

The MNEA wants to see the test results, and they want assurances from the school board that it will bring down high radon levels, which could get expensive.

The Metro Health Department tested seven more Metro schools over the weekend.

On Friday, Health Department employees put test kits in the following schools: Bordeaux Elementary, Whitsitt Elementary, Dan Mills Elementary, Rosebank Elementary, Hattie Cotton Elementary, Cora - Howe Elementary and Shwab Elementary.

There will be more tests this weekend. No test results are back yet.

To view this news segment or read this article, visit http://www.newschannel5.com/story/14337541/metro-teachers-demand-action-following-radon-investigation.

Radon Deaths in the U.S.

U.S. EPA — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 09:43:44 EDT

Radon deaths in the U.S. annually:

Radon 21,000
Drunk driving 17,400
Falls in the home 8,000
Drownings 3,900
Home fires 2,800

Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Read more: http://www.businessrecord.com/main.asp?SectionID=37&SubSectionID=100&ArticleID=13638#ixzz1SkgfFjwJ