Little Tid Bit Daycare in Bloomington (Lindsey Wright, WFIU/WTIU News)
The state is trying out a free radon testing program for day care centers in some Indiana counties.
Radon exposure is the leading cause of lung cancer in people who don’t smoke in the U.S., estimated to cause more than 21,000 deaths every year. It's a naturally-occurring gas that seeps into buildings from the soil.
Right now, day cares and schools in Indiana aren’t required to test for radon. Some we called hadn’t even heard of the gas — or that the state recommends testing for it every five years.
Sally Thompson, who owns Little Tid Bit Daycare in Bloomington, says she didn’t receive any information on radon from the state.
"I would want to do it just because of the kids I take care of, want to make sure everything’s OK in the building," she says.
4.0 picocuries per liter (pCi/L) is the Environmental Protection Agency's action level for radon. However, the Indiana State Department of Health says no level of radon in a home is safe.
The company Protect Environmental is conducting the testing for the pilot program. Managing Partner Kyle Hoylman says, ordinarily, a radon test would cost a day care anywhere from $50 to several thousand dollars depending on the size of the building.
"Our children are in some of these facilities eight, 10, 12 hours a day," he says. "They’re being exposed to, potentially exposed to, a toxic gas and that’s something most parents and faculty there would like to know."
The state estimates one out of every three Indiana homes has high levels of radon. Because children have smaller lungs, they’re alsomore susceptible to the gas.
The free testing program is only available in Allen, LaPorte and Marion counties. But state health officials say it could expand if there’s enough interest.
To find out how you can get your home or business tested for radon, call the Indiana Radon Hotline at 1-800-272-9723 ororder a test kitthrough the American Lung Association.
If your home has high levels of radon, you can have a radon mitigation system installed. ISDH says the average cost for installation in Indiana is between $800 and $1,200.
Indiana Environmental reporting is supported by the Environmental Resilience Institute, an Indiana University Grand Challenge project developing Indiana-specific projections and informed responses to problems of environmental change.
