Radon in school: A hidden worry for eastern Pennsylvania students

A Children’s National Hospital researcher teamed up with a high school student from Bethlehem, Pa., to shed light on radon, a silent health risk that may be present in some schools.

They examined radon levels in five eastern Pennsylvania school districts. The neighborhoods surrounding all 37 public schools had average radon levels exceeding the federal action level, or 4.0 pCi/L. According to their findings, the same could be true of the school buildings.

In a new research letter published in JAMA Network Open, researchers found some students may be exposed to nearly twice the annual dose of natural background radiation, estimated by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission at 3.1 mSv (310 mrem).

An odorless and invisible gas, radon is the leading cause of lung cancer among nonsmokers and the second overall cause of lung cancer nationwide. Its greatest danger lies in prolonged exposure, a risk amplified in school settings where children and teachers spend extensive hours. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates more than 70,000 classrooms have high short-term radon levels.

“This study highlights the urgent need for radon testing in schools,” said Beth Tarini, M.D., M.S., M.B.A., co-director of the Center for Translational Research at Children’s National and the manuscript’s senior author. “Unchecked exposure to radon in these settings could have significant short- and long-term health effects, particularly for children.”

The EPA has found that approximately 20% of schools nationwide have done some testing, and only . In the Washington, D.C., region, Dr. Tarini says testing is often done:

• The District of Columbia requires public schools to test for radon and publicize the results. If the results are above the federal limit of >4pCi/L, the schools are required to mitigate the risk.
• Maryland doesn’t require schools to test for radon, but some schools test. The state’s largest school district — Montgomery County Public Schools — has been testing for radon since the late 1980s and retests facilities every five years.
• In Virginia, the commonwealth requires public schools to test for radon, make the results public and report the results to the state.

Brian Yang, the study’s first author, called for action in Pennsylvania and regions with known radon risks.

“This research underscores the need to test radon levels in schools and, if necessary, mitigate,” said Yang, a senior at Moravian Academy in Bethlehem, Pa. “Addressing this invisible and under-recognized threat should be a public health priority.”

For more details, read the full study — “Estimated Radon Exposure in Eastern Pennsylvania Schools” — in JAMA Network Open.