USEPA in “Spotlight: Successful Approaches for Reducing Radon Risk” noted Vermont’s new law about radon in schools.
“In 2021, the Vermont legislature passed a law requiring all schools to test for radon. Under the Act, schools must follow the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) / American Association of Radon Scientists and Technologists (AARST) Protocol for Conducting Measurements of Radon and Radon Decay Products in Schools and Large Buildings, which includes hiring a certified radon measurement professional.”
In 2021, the Vermont legislature passed a law requiring all schools to test for radon. See Section 12 of Act 72 (2021). Under the Act, schools must follow the ANSI/AARST Protocol for Conducting Measurements of Radon and Radon Decay Products in Schools and Large Buildings. Vermont has begun implementing this requirement by providing best practices for testing and mitigation.
BEST PRACTICES FOR RADON TESTING INCLUDE:
• Hire a certified radon measurement professional.
• Notify parents, guardians, and school staff before and after you receive results, and post results to your school’s website.
• Test on school days or with the HVAC system operating under occupied conditions, and ideally during cooler months when the heat is on.
• If any of the radon results are elevated, evaluate radon levels during occupied versus non-occupied times of the day using continuous radon monitors that collect hourly measurements. Your certified radon measurement professional can help with this.
• Email your results to the Health Department at radon@vermont.gov.
• Retest your school every five years or whenever significant changes are made to the building’s structure or mechanical systems.
BEST PRACTICES FOR FIXING A RADON PROBLEM INCLUDE:
• Hire a certified radon mitigation professional.
• Install a radon mitigation system or adjust HVAC settings if any results are at or above 4.0 pCi/L. Consider mitigating or adjusting HVAC settings if any results are at or above 2.0 pCi/L. Consult with an HVAC engineer before making adjustments to HVAC settings.
• Notify parents, guardians, and school staff of your plan to fix the radon problem.
• Test again to make sure your mitigation or HVAC adjustments fixed the radon problem.
For more information:
Telephone 800-439-8550 (toll-free in Vermont)
Email radon@vermont.gov
Website:
https://www.healthvermont.gov/environment/school/radon-schools#:~:text=In%202021%2C%20the%20Vermont….
Source:
EPA SIRG Report 2022
https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2022-02/final-2021-annual-sirg-activities-report-508c.pdf
United States