ST. GEORGE — Rising from uranium deposits, it concentrates in living spaces and workplaces. While it’s simple to mitigate the risk of this invisible, odorless gas, many are unaware of the dangers posed by radon.
Radon is a gas emitted from underground uranium deposits. It travels from underground to the surface where it can enter homes, become trapped and begin concentrating.
Because there is airflow in outdoor spaces, the gas doesn’t pose a risk as it is diluted, according to the 2022-27 Multi-Jurisdictional Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan
Developed by the Five County Association of Governments and approved by the Utah Department of Emergency Management and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the plan describes local hazards and presents strategies to mitigate their associated risks, according to the Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan’s website.
One of these hazards, radon, was rated as a low risk in Washington and Iron counties. However, the Utah Department of Environmental Quality states on its website that one in three Utah homes has elevated levels. Indoor concentrations are common throughout Utah, particularly in homes, the plan states.
There is no healthy level of radon and it is a natural hazard that kills the most Utahns, the document states. And it is the leading cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers and the number two cause among smokers, according to this article by Utah Radon Services.
The article also states that lung cancer caused by radon gas kills about 21,000 Americans per year.
“Have you ever heard of someone who never smoked a day in their life and found out they have lung cancer? It’s very likely that they were exposed to high levels of radon gas and didn’t even know it,” the article states.
The Environmental Protection Agency estimated that the average indoor level of radon was between 2.0 and 4.0 picocuries per liter of air. A picocurie is a unit of radioactivity.
While mitigation is recommended at these levels, the plan states that achieving levels below 2.0 is difficult.
In Iron County, the Utah Department of Environmental Quality found in 2019 that the average result of more than 500 radon tests is 2.4 picocuries per liter, according to the mitigation plan. The highest reported was 28.3 picocuries, but 84.3% of tests showed a concentration of fewer than 4.0 picocuries. The concentration level is dependent on soil content, structure foundations and the amount of time spent in a space.
A Utah Geologic Survey summary indicated that soil derived from Pine Valley Mountain shale and granite “has the greatest potential of high levels of indoor radon” and the plan reports that this soil type is commonly found in areas south of St. George.
In Washington County, about 11.7% of radon tests were greater than 4.0 picocuries per liter. These buildings would require mitigation to live or work in safely; the plan reports using data from the Utah Department of Environmental Quality.
Because there is not a recorded history of radon beyond the testing record, “with even less being available on a town level,” the plan suggests increasing testing and reporting for an improved understanding of the risks radon poses.
“While estimates of radon levels in the County can be helpful to describe the problem, individual testing is the only way to understand the potential risk and exposure of radon gasses for a residence or structure,” the document states. “Testing and mitigation of radon should be done with the consultation of a Radon mitigation specialist.”
Few people are aware of radon risks and according to the document increased awareness and at-home test result reporting can help to inform the public.
Public education was one of the mitigation strategies listed in the plan, Cedar City manager Paul Bittmenn said at a September City Council meeting.
“We have a problem in this area of the country with radon,” he said. “And the best thing you can do if you have some radon issues is to open your windows up and open your doors out, maybe go outside for a while. There’s really no way to vacuum radon out.”
However, according to the EPA, natural ventilation is considered a temporary fix as radon can increase to previous levels within 12 hours of closing doors and windows. So, additional mitigation strategies are recommended.
The Utah Department of Environmental Quality suggests testing the home for radon levels. If the results are higher than 4.0 picocuries, they recommend working with a certified mitigator to have a mitigation system installed.
For instance, an active soil depressurization system can “extract radon-laden soil gases and vent them” outside the house, according to the department’s website.
“The objective of this type of system is to create a vacuum beneath the foundation that is greater in strength than the vacuum applied to the soil by the house itself,” the site states.
To learn more about radon mitigation and where to find affordable test kits, visit the Utah Department of Environmental Quality’s website. For more information on hazards in Southern Utah, view the Multi-Jurisdictional Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan here.
Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2022, all rights reserved.