EPA Hosts Live Session on "Proposed Radon Credentialing Criteria"
On April 12, 2023, EPA will host an information session to facilitate stakeholder review of the Proposed Radon Credentialing Criteria. Presenters will address 1) EPA’s role in overseeing quality of radon service providers and 2) Conformity assessment and application of voluntary consensus standards within federal programs, including the proposed voluntary radon credentialing framework and implementation approach. Participants will have an opportunity to ask clarifying questions via the webinar chat function. The Agency will not accept comments on the proposed radon credentialing criteria during this information session. Register for the Information Session.
HUD Hosts Live Session on "Addressing Radon in the Environmental Review Policy"
On March 20, 2023, HUD's Office of Environment and Energy provided an overview of the draft proposed radon policy, Departmental Policy for Addressing Radon in the Environmental Review Policy, and then allowed for members of the public to provide oral comments on the policy. Over 550 stakeholders participated in the listening session. For more information, please visit Office of Environment and Energy’s website. To submit public comment, please visit Regulations.gov.
CDC's National Radon Action Month (NRAM)
In January 2022, CDC’s Radiation and Health newsletter and Environmental Health Nexus newsletter featured information on radon and promoted NRAM. Leading up to NRAM, CDC updated the radon website, including updated resources from partners, a new communication materials landing page featuring a new 3-D animated video and a new animation showing how radon gets into homes, and a new page for healthcare providers that is also promoted on Medscape for the first quarter of 2022.
CDC’s Radon Awareness Week (RAW)
CDC lead the second annual Radon Awareness Week (RAW), January 24-28, the last week of National Radon Action Month. Each day of RAW had a theme highlighting different public health actions and audiences. RAW raises awareness about the combined risk of smoking and radon, shares information about state radon levels and resources, and informs and empowers homeowners, healthcare providers, and school building managers on steps they can take to reduce risks. The week before RAW several of CDC’s subscribe-by-topic newsletters featured information on radon and RAW themes including, CDC’s Radiation and Health, Environmental Health Nexus, Cancer Prevention Works, and One Health Update. CDC staff sent emails directly to key partners encouraging them to use the RAW social media toolkit and other communication resources. Subscribers to the Radiation and Health newsletter also received an email each day of the week with graphics and messaging for the respective daily theme. Daily theme messages were amplified from several CDC social media channels. An article on radon was featured on CDC’s employee intranet site. CDC also sent out animations and messaging through Nextdoor, a popular app used across the country for people to share tips and resources among their neighbors.
Environmental Nexus Webinar
On January 24, 2022, CDC hosted an Environmental Nexus webinar focused on how radon can impact your health, and what individuals, communities, and healthcare providers can do to prevent lung cancer from radon. Subject matter experts, Dr. Adela Salame-Alfie from CDC’s Radiation Studies Section, Dr. Thomas Golden from CDC’s Office on Smoking and Health, and Dr. Bill Field from the University of Iowa and author of the new guide for healthcare providers, highlighted the following topics:
- Basic information on radon and how to test for and reduce radon in your home.
- The combined risk of radon and cigarette smoking, including second-hand smoke.
- A deep dive into data and guidance for healthcare providers.
To listen to the recorded webinar, please visit the EH Nexus website.
Jackie’s Story
Raising awareness and motivating action to reduce the risk from radon is a risk communication challenge as radon is unseen and unnoticed in our daily lives and the health impacts are not immediate. Jackie’s Story is a video testimonial to demonstrate that radon can cause lung cancer in anyone, to help people relate to the issue, and to offer a clinician’s perspective. The video features Jackie Nixon, communication and marketing director for Citizens for Radioactive Radon Reduction (CR3) and her surgeon, Dr. Maley. Jackie is a lung cancer survivor who never smoked. Jackie’s story is also featured in a blog hosted on CDC’s Cancer blog.
Radon and Citizen Science: Public Engagement to Increase Education and Outreach
On June 22, 2021, AARST hosted a live webinar on Radon and Citizen Science: Public Engagement to Increase Education and Outreach. During this webinar, subject matter experts shared guidance, lessons learned, and best practices for increasing radon education and outreach through public engagement opportunities created by citizen science projects.
Radon Test Kit Distribution Programs: Best Practices for State and Tribal Radon Programs
On May 25, 2021, AARST hosted a live webinar Radon Test Kit Distribution Programs: Best Practices for State and Tribal Radon Programs. During this webinar, leaders from state radon programs in Maryland, Utah, and Virginia shared guidance and best practices for implementing a radon test kit distribution program to encourage building occupants to understand their radon risk potential by testing the buildings where they live, work, and learn.
Radon in Schools: EPA Tools for Schools and Case Studies
On March 16, 2021, AARST hosted a live webinar on Radon in Schools: EPA Tools for Schools and Case Studies. During this webinar, leaders from the U.S. EPA, state departments of health, and school operations management shared guidance for managing radon in schools, including testing, results interpretation, and mitigation. Three case studies were presented to provide the audience with examples of this guidance at work in Connecticut, Minnesota, and Oregon.
Radon Standards Update for AARST Members and NRPP-Certified Professionals
On April 16, 2020, the AARST Consortium on National Radon Standards, in conjunction with the CRCPD and the EPA, hosted a live webinar on Radon Standards Update for AARST Members and NRPP-Certified Professionals. The purpose of the webinar was to familiarize members and certified professionals with the EPA’s notice on recommending state programs adopt the AARST/ANSI consensus standards for radon testing and mitigation, to provide an overview of the CRCPD and its work with state radon programs, to provide an overview of the new standards portal (standards.aarst.org) where complimentary view / paid download access to all consensus standards is available, to review and compare the current AARST/ANSI consensus standards, and to discuss the standard committees and upcoming standards work. One hour of NRPP continuing education was awarded to certified professionals completing the webinar.
Labs Submit Radon Data to CDC
On Feb 2020, Michele Monti from CDC, briefed the NRAP Leadership on the Radon Data effort that’s hosted in the Environmental Public Health Tracking Network. Michele worked with EPA and states to standardize data and secure commitments to obtain high-quality data. CRCPD, especially the E-25 Committee and the state radon programs, for working together and encouraging labs to supply data to the national platform. AARST, with the help from Eric Brown from the Colorado Office of Public Health, obtained laboratory data that has resulted in millions of additional data points. The combined work from all organizations, has helped make the radon site robust and comprehensive.
Guide for Health Care Providers
CRCPD, Dr. Bill Field and EPA developed a guide for health care providers titled Reducing the Risk from Radon: Information and Interventions. This guide was designed to provide health care providers with the information they need to reduce their patients' exposures to radon. Stakeholders continue to promote and distribute the guide to medical professionals and physicians. CRCPD is looking into updating the Cancer Mortality table within the document, with the 2019 Cancer Mortality rates from CDC. EPA is working to translate the document into Spanish. Dr. Bill Field and EPA are working on developing a continuing medical education course based on information from the guide, as well as additional research and epidemiological information on radon-related lung cancer.
EPA’s Radon Protection in New Homes Webinar
EPA hosted a webinar entitled “Radon Protections in New Homes,” which addressed common mistakes in design and installation of passive systems and new radon policy. Participants learned from seasoned radon expert, Bruce Snead, of the Kansas Radon Program about how to avoid common mistakes in design and installation of a passive system and heard about new radon policy updates and exceptions in the Indoor airPLUS Construction Specifications. For more information about healthy homes, go to https://www.epa.gov/indoorairplus/.
EPA and AARST Host Webinar “Radon in Schools”
In March 2018, EPA hosted the “Radon in Schools: What You Need to Know to Properly Manage Radon in Your School” webinar with two AARST members and a county school official outlining best practices found in the ANSI/AARST standards.
Study Finds Radon Education Increases Testing
New CDC study (Measuring Public Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behaviors Related to Radon to Inform Cancer Control Activities and Practices) finds that education about radon increases the likelihood that people will test their homes. Their survey found that homebuyers in states with notification policies were twice as likely to have heard about radon-health issues as those without such policies
Update on Tribal Radon Work
The National Tribal Air Association had signed on in support of the National Radon Action Plan and now has a Tribal representative as a member of the Leadership Team. At the December 2017 team meeting, she shared information to help recognize Tribal radon issues and successes in Indian Country. This organization works to improve indoor and outdoor air quality for American Indian Tribes and Alaska Natives.
Increasing Radon Strategies in Cancer Control Plans
NRAP Team aims to encourage state Comprehensive Cancer Control (CCC) plans to prioritize radon and include radon reduction strategies in Cancer Action Plans (CAPs). Through a joint project, CanSAR and the AARST Foundation developed a 3-part strategic plan for 2018 to prioritizing radon strategies in CAPs: 1.) Increase radon strategies in CAPs across CDC-funded CCC programs, 2.) Provide technical assistance and guidance to the CCC programs, 3.) Develop a toolkit based on existing resources and identified needs. The point person on the project, with guidance from the leadership team (comprised of CanSAR and AARST Foundation representatives), will work closely with the CDC to collaborate the initiatives. For more information, visit CDC’s CCC Plans.
NRAP Outreach Efforts
Citizens for Radioactive Radon Reduction (CR3) has attended and provided a booth at the American Nurses Association and American Public Health Association. CR3 also issued the May CR3 News focusing on the health and medical aspects of radon exposure. Read more issues of CR3 News.
Medical and Health Groups Endorse the National Radon Action Plan
Some of the nation’s leading medical and health groups have officially declared their support of the National Radon Action Plan. The American Thoracic Society, the American Public Health Association, the Asthma and Allergy Network and Trust for America’s Health have all signed on to the goals and strategies in the plan. They have been encouraged to share this with their members and to join in actions to support the implementation of the plan.