The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation considers radon to be a serious problem in the state, with Tennessee having higher than the national average of radon in homes.
In the Tennessee State Cancer Plan 2018-2022, radon is included under the topic of primary prevention of cancer. The plan lists the objective for radon as:
Increase the number of homes tested annually for radon by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation Radon Program from 1,410 in 20181 to 2,500 by 2022.
Strategies are given for four broad topical areas:
• Policy, Systems and Environmental Changes
• Provider Training and Professional Development
• Patient Access, Education and Programming
• Progress and Evaluation
Strategies are as follows:
Policy, Systems and Environmental Changes
1. Require radon testing every two years and mitigation policies for public places
including: worksites, local schools and school districts, day care centers and
licensed home day care providers and city, county and state-owned public
buildings.
2. Require radon disclosures tested in last two years as part of single or multifamily
homes or apartment sales.
3. Require home mortgage lending sources to require radon testing and mitigation.
4. Require new homebuilders to use radon-resistant techniques as outlined in the
International Residential Code for One- and Two-Family Dwellings.
Provider Training and Professional Development
1. Educate K-12 teachers through a Radon Teacher Workshop with continuing
education credits.
2. Educate radon professionals through training for large building measurement
and mitigation.
3. Reduce the incidence of radon-induced lung cancer by increasing radon
education for certified professionals to better serve the citizens of Tennessee.
4. Support professional training classes to increase radon awareness consultation
during real estate transactions and home inspections.
Patient Access, Education and Programming
1. Educate realtors on the dangers of radon.
2. Educate home inspectors on the dangers of radon.
3. Provide free or reduced-cost radon test kits.
4. Promote National Radon Action Month in January of each year.
5. Promote citizen resolutions to test homes.
Progress and Evaluation
1. Promote citizen science in testing for radon to increase data.
2. Support the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention mapping project for states.
3. Support a mapping project with layovers of tobacco use, lung cancer incidence
and radon levels.
For more information about radon in Tennessee, contact:
Lexi Brown
Office of Policy and Sustainable Practices
615-532-5944
lexi.brown@tn.gov
Radon Hotline
1-800-232-1139
United States