Transcript Radon in the Sierra Nevada

Radon At Tahoe
by Jeff Miner
For the Tahoe Area Sierra Club
February 18, 2010
Radon at Lake Tahoe
 The
Problem
 The Solution
 Why We Ignore Radon
 Action We Could Take
An Overview
Radon At Tahoe
For 24 years I had high levels of radon gas in
my house, and I did not know it. When I
tested my house and understood the problem, I
was able to fix it myself. This web page is
dedicated to people like myself who want to
know if they have a radon problem and want to
get it fixed.
Do It Yourself Manual
Continuous Electronic Radon Tester
Radon Movement
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EPA
California
Radon
Map
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EPA
Nevada
Radon
Map
Radon does not stop at borders
Four Studies
 1989
- California Radon Survey
 1991 - Nevada Radon Survey
 2007 - Tahoe Radon Survey
 2009 - CGS Tahoe Radon Potential
But very little action
California DHS statewide radon
study 1988-89
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“The Sierra Nevada region was significantly
higher than other areas….”
Estimated that 11-45% of homes are above the
U.S. EPA action level.
Only 1% of homes in California have elevated
radon, low radon state.
Sierra Nevada are a low populated region
Conclusion: We are not a priority, so no action
taken for last 20 years.
Nevada
1991 Radon Survey
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10% of Nevada homes
have elevated radon
But Zephyr Cove:
69%* of homes have
elevated radon
No action taken to alert
Zephyr Cove residents.
Nevada Radon program
recently taken over by
University of Nevada,
Reno Cooperative
Extension
* The highest in the state!
2007 - Tahoe Radon Survey
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California Dept. of Public Health sent 7,700
letters to Tahoe Area residents in :
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El Dorado County
Placer County
Nevada County
Over 1,400 tests were received back
Results showed that over 35% of homes in the
Sierra Nevada and 39% of homes in South Lake
Tahoe have elevated radon.
Current Radon Tests Results
After 2007 Tahoe Radon Survey
2007 - Tahoe Radon Survey
2009 California Geological Survey
Tahoe Radon Potential
2009 California Geological Survey
Tahoe Radon Potential
Let’s Review:
Is Radon a Problem at Tahoe?
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Radon causes lung cancer. 2nd only to cigarette
smoke. 21,000 deaths a year from radon.
Granite is high in Uranium, Radium, Radon
Tahoe has plenty of granite. Sierra batholith.
90% of South Tahoe homes are in high radon
geology areas. Actual tests so far 39% test high.
So, why are we not doing more about it?
Answer: Politics and Psychology.
Radon Ordinance
Appendix F of IRC
Radon Resistant New Construction
El Dorado County Part 1
2007 Radon Awareness Program
OBJECTIVES:
Develop awareness of radon and its possible health hazards
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Distribute pamphlets at local grocery stores and post offices
Public presentations at Board of Realtors, service groups, special
events, etc.
Board/City Resolutions to support January as National Radon
Action Month
Radon awareness insert with utility bills
Encourage community members to seek additional
information about radon.
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Public service announcements on local radio stations/newspaper
articles
Inform community members as to various methods/sources
for home radon testing.
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Display test kits at local lumber and hardware stores
El Dorado County Part 2
2007 Radon Awareness Program
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Encourage community members to test homes for radon.
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Provide coupons for free test kits (if available from State)
Promote State program for $5 test kits
Work with Middle School/High School Science teachers to do
radon project with their students—test their homes and track
results
Inform community members on Radon Reduction
Methods
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Send letters to survey participants with radon results at or above
action level
Provide copies of “How to Fix Your Home”
Consider providing workshop for homeowners
Expand list of State Certified Radon Mitigators
El Dorado County Part 3
2007 Radon Awareness Program
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Encourage builders to include “Radon Resistant New Construction”
(RRNC) in the construction of new homes.
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Workshop for contractors, architects, engineers on methods of
RRNC
Recommend to Development Services the adoption of a
RRNC code for Tahoe area (similar to Appendix F of the
International Residential Code)
Consider sending a Building Inspector and an Environmental
Health Specialist to NEHA Radon certification class.
Provide copies of “Building Radon Out” at City and
County Building Departments and TRPA
Encourage radon reduction as part of Green Building
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El Dorado County Part 4
2007 Radon Awareness Program
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MEASUREMENTS OF SUCCESS:
Track the number of tests submitted for testing and their results
Track the number of homes built with RRNC
TIMELINE FOR IMPLEMENTATION:
December 2007:
Web site improvements, letters out to survey participants with results at or
above action level, school district radon survey results
January 2008:
Radon Awareness Month, resolutions, coupons/ free radon tests kits,
public outreach, student projects at schools
February 2008:
Workshops for homeowners/contractors
Real Estate Transactions
Natural Hazard
Disclosure Statement
Required for All Real Estate Sales in California
Radon Hazards in El Dorado County are listed as
Moderate
LEED Green Building
United States Green Building Council’s
LEED Certification Program
Does NOT require RRNC
(Radon Resistant New Construction) on LEED
Certified Green Buildings in El Dorado, Placer
or Nevada Counties (moderate radon counties)
What Could The County Do?
Test county buildings at Tahoe
Train contractors and builders in RRNC
Move forward to complete the items on the Radon
Awareness Program list
Develop a program to work and collaborate with
local citizens, myself included
Expand the EMD web site to include local
statistics and maps
What Could the County Do?
Support efforts to get the LEED green building certification
program to recognize Tahoe as a High, not Moderate radon
potential area
Support efforts to get the Real Estate Hazard Disclosure Report to
use current radon maps, not the old EPA Radon Map which still
shows Tahoe as a Moderate radon risk area
The above item would really increase the awareness of the actual
radon potential of this area, as reported in the CGS Radon
Potential Report, since every real estate transaction in California
is required to have the hazard report and currently it is
misleading.
What Action To Take?
Moral: Don’t wait for government to act
Test your own home
Reasons people test.
Reasons people don’t test.
Time for Questions.
Newborn Radon Program
Radon Tee World Trek
Building Radon
Out
Radon Ready New Construction – RRNC
On Slab Foundation
Crawl Space Foundation
Mitigation
Slab Foundation
Mitigation
Pipe Runs under barrier cloth and
out through air vent
Fan and vent pipe on outside
Electricity
110 volt or 12 volt
Certified Radon Mitigators in
California
Certified Radon Mitigators in
California
California Certified Radon Testers
LEED for Homes Indoor Air Quality
Not a priority so not taken seriously by builders
Training
Hear Nothing
See Nothing
Do Nothing
Radon and Business
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Radon Ordinances and Building Codes
Large Problem yet Unrealized
No Competition but also Not Much Business
Good Seasonal Job for Contractor
Concept of the “Tipping Point”
Easy to get trained and certified
International Building Code
El Dorado County Leaves Radon
Out of Community Update
2005 to Present
Radon in the News
Cancer Survivors Against Radon
Cansar.org
Radon and Real Estate Sales
U.S. Forest Service Building
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High in Radon
20 – 60 pCi/L
Radon Often Ignored by Builders
Even “Green” Builders
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Not in building code – no radon ordinance
LEED – Radon is low priority. Only 1 point.
LEED for Homes - Required only for High
radon counties on old EPA map. Not accurate.
Commercial Building - Not required
Schools – Not required
Government Buildings – Not required
Non-LEED homes – Not required
What’s Next?
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Where there’s a will, there’s a way
First education, then motivation, then action
Start with your own home, test it.
New projects should address radon – new
school building, etc.
Government should test their buildings
“Green” builders should be held to a higher
standard.
I Need Your Help
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Join me in raising radon awareness
Get your own house tested
Tell your friends
Bring radon up at Tahoe Business Gatherings
Your ideas and participation
With your help
radon induced lung cancer
can be avoided
Thank You
Jeff Miner
Radon At Tahoe