Radon in Maine

Eric Frohmberg

Maine Healthy Homes and Lead Poisoning Prevention Program

Maine Center for Disease Control & Prevention • Environmental & Occupational Health Program

Radon

• Why do we care about radon?

• What should I do?

• What does MeCDC have to offer?

Maine Center for Disease Control & Prevention • Environmental & Occupational Health Program

Radon in Maine

50%Of Maine homes

may have indoor air levels of radon above 2 pCi/L

33%Of Maine homes report

that they have tested their

indoor air for radon

How bad is radon?

less cancer risk more

MTBE

3 in a million

PERC

5 in a million

Chlordane

70 in a million

Radon in Water

3 in a thousand

Radon in Air

2 pCi/L

1 in a hundred

to

1 in a thousand

Maine Center for Disease Control & Prevention • Environmental & Occupational Health Program

What is Radon?

Uranium-238

Radium-226

Radon - 222

Radon -222

Quick Decay – releasing radiation

Maine Center for Disease Control & Prevention • Environmental & Occupational Health Program

How Radon Enters a Home

Through the foundation

Through the well

Maine Center for Disease Control & Prevention • Environmental & Occupational Health Program

How do I find out if radon is in my house?

Maine Center for Disease Control & Prevention • Environmental & Occupational Health Program

Where can I get a test kit?If you are testing a home as part of a housing transaction ….

- the test must be performed by a certified radon tester

- the sample must be analyzed by a certified testing laboratory

(see www.maineradiationcontrol.org for a list)

Required by the Maine Radon Registration Act

A homeowner can test their own home unless it is during a real estate transaction

Maine Center for Disease Control & Prevention • Environmental & Occupational Health Program

Radon and rental units

Need to test (registered tester) by 2012 and each 10 years after that.

Need to abate if above 4 pCi/L (use registered mitigator)

Need to tell tenants of the results

Maine Center for Disease Control & Prevention • Environmental & Occupational Health Program

Notes on Testing Water

-Water contributes to air

-Testing water is tricky –-levels can fluctuate, -the act of testing can reduce the level in the water.

Maine Center for Disease Control & Prevention • Environmental & Occupational Health Program

What do I do?

DO NOT automatically treat above 2 pCi/L.

• Between 2- 4 in air, call. • High levels, obviously treat.

DO NOT automatically treat above 4,000 pCi/L in well water.

• Need BOTH air and water measures

• Between 4,000-10,000 in water, call. • High levels, obviously treat.

To Summarize:

Radon causes lung cancer

It is common in Maine

EVERYONE need to test

Maine Center for Disease Control & Prevention • Environmental & Occupational Health Program

QUESTIONS

Radon Program: 1-800-232-0842http://www.maineradiationcontrol.orgEmail: radon.dhhs@maine.gov

Well Water: 1-866-292-3474http://wellwater.maine.govEmail: ehu@maine.gov