The present status of the radon program in The United States of America

The indoor radon program in the US. started in the early 1970's in response to CongressionalHearings that recommended the initiation of radon measurements in certain parts of the united Stateswhere enhanced radon caused by contaminated uranium and radium tailings was suspect. In the mid1970's, the Department of Energy (DOE), Environmental Measurements Laboratory (EML),conducted the first indoor radon survey in the New York City Metropolitan area. The two year studyrecommended that radon surveys should be expanded throughout the US. for better assessment of theradiation exposure of the general public to radon and its decay products. In 1984, well documentedfindings of very high concentrations of radon in homes located on the Reading Prong in Pennsylvaniagenerated public interest in radon measurements and prompted the Environmental Protection Agency(EPA), to initiate a program to address the newly discovered public health problem. In 1988, EPAwas assigned the task to implement the Indoor Radon Abatement Act (IRAA), which established along-term national goal to reduce indoor levels to those found outdoors. In the 1980's , DOE fundedmany radon research projects on the health effects of environmental radon, instrument developmentand measurement quality. Unfortunately by the end of fiscal year 1998, DOE, the principal radonresearch agency stopped funding radon projects.The expanded role of EPA resulted in a very extensive voluntary program which was designed to (1)evaluate the effectiveness of measurement and mitigation methods; (2) establish regional radontraining centers and the National Radon Proficiency Program (NRPP); (3) assess the potential forradon contamination in schools; (4) develop radon resistant standards in new construction; and (5)provide grants for State radon programs. As of September 30, 1998, EPA ceased operation of itsNRPP, due to the agency's limited resources.Today, radon testing is primarily conducted in real estate transactions, in family relocations, inschools, government buildings and private homes of concerned citizens. Radon mitigation hasaccelerated to the point that by the year 2005 it is estimated that more than 700,000 homes will bemitigated at an average cost of $1,000 per home. Radon resistant techniques applied by architects andbuilders are incorporated in about 200,000 homes per year.