Date Published: 10/13/2009 [Source]
Last week the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) warned that hundreds of schools may have cancer-causing PCBs in caulk around windows and doors. This announcement has caught the attention of school districts across the country.
Another area of concern for schools in many parts of the country is radon gas. Radon is a radioactive gas that comes from the natural decay of uranium. It also happens to be a colorless, odorless and chemically inert gas that cannot be detected by human senses.
Long-term exposure to radon can cause cancer according to the Environmental Protection Agency, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, American Lung Association and the National Academy of Sciences. The EPA even reports that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States and is connected with up to 22,000 deaths each year.
During the cool fall and winter months is an ideal time to have a school tested for radon. During these times school buildings are typically sealed to keep the property heated and this closed environment can increase radon levels.