WHO Lowers Radon Threshhold to 2.7!
All agents, sellers and buyers need to be aware of this, as it may affect current and furture transactions.
I just became aware of the World Health Organization (WHO) press release where the group is lobbying to LOWER the radon cancer deaths each year, by lowering the threshhold when remediation is recommended, from current levels of 4.0 (per the EPA) to 2.7. This is huge!
From the release:
The World Health Organization has released their Handbook on Indoor Radon which strongly validates the worldwide threat of exposure to radon gas. According to handbook, WHO has been studying the effects of radon exposure since 1979. Although radon was classified as a human carcinogen in 1988, it took over 20-years of sound research and real-life studies from all over the world to confirm the true magnitude of the risk radon poses. Based on the results of these studies, WHO now suggests that homeowners take action when radon levels exceed 2.7 pCi/l. This is a much more conservative figure than the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA's) action level of 4.0 pCi/l, which has been the U.S. standard for over 20-years.
Note that in areas of naturally high radon (such as Pennsylvania!) this will majorly affect our transactions. And in my part of Pennsylvania, we regularly see levels much higher than 4.0. The highest level I have personally seen was almost 40.
As of now, we are advised to give consumers the info about radon and still uses the EPA's 4.0 number. But in the future, will this change?
A radon test in my area costs about $100-125. Remediation regularly runs from $800-1400 depending on the complexity of the system.
Go to the website for more details on this press release
You can download a copy of the WHO Radon Handbook here: http://whqlibdoc.who.int/publications/2009/9789241547673_eng.pdf
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Erica Ramus is Broker/Owner of Realty Executives in Pottsville, PA.
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