United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Air and Energy Engineering
Research Laboratory
Research Triangle Park NC 27711
Research and Development
EPA/600/S9-91/026 Oct. 1991
x EPA Project Summary
Proceedings: The 1990
International Symposium on
Radon and Radon Reduction
Technology
Ronald B. Mosley, Compiler
The proceedings of the 1990 Interna-
tional Symposium on Radon and Radon
Reduction Technology are contained in
three volumes. Volumes 1 and 2 contain
47 oral papers and 13 panel papers, while
Volume 3 contains 45 poster papers. The
presentation of these papers provided
an opportunity for and stimulated the
exchange of information among partici-
pants on a variety of topics relating to
indoor radon and its control.
The symposium was jointly spon-
sored by EPA's Air and Energy Engi-
neering Research Laboratory and its
Office of Radiation Programs. The meet-
ing was held In Atlanta, Georgia, on
February 19-23, 1990. Participation
reached nearly 600 representing fed-
eral, state, and local governments, ra-
don measurement companies, radon
mitigation companies, research orga-
nizations, academia, construction com-
panies, real estate and relocation com-
panies, and school facilities personnel.
This Project Summary was developed
by EPA's Air and Energy Engineering
Research Laboratory, Research Triangle
Park, NC, to highlight the key findings of
the symposium. The results of recent
research are fully documented in the
three volumes of the proceedings by the
same title. Information for ordering the
full proceedings is at the back of this
summary.
Introduction
The papers contained in the proceedings
cover a broad range of topics including:
government programs, policies, and public
information relating to radon, radon-related
health studies, radon measurement meth-
ods, radon surveys, radon entry dynamics,
radon in the natural environment, radon
reduction methods, radon prevention in new
construction, and radon issues in schools
and other large buildings. It was revealed
that, in spite of the recommendations by
both EPA and the Surgeon General for
everyone to test their houses, less than 5%
of the homeowners have tested for radon. It
was also noted that most of the measure-
ments that are being made are stimulated
by real estate transactions. Most people
who test do not follow up with mitigation,
and frequently those who do mitigate end
up with an inferior installation because they
elect to go with the lowest bidder. A 1989
study of 473 radon mitigation systems in
New Jersey indicated that 56% of the post-
mitigation measurements on the lowest floor
were below 4 pCi/L, compared to only 38%
in a similar 1988 study.
Limited studies of the reliability of mitiga-
tion systems indicate that many subslab
depressurization systems are operating sta-
bly after 2-4 years. One common failure has
been the capacitor in the fan. A limited set of
studies support the argumentthat a subslab
depressurization system with a passive stack
may be a judicious first step for builders in
radon-prone areas.
Differences of opinion still abound con-
cerning the best procedures for measuring
radon concentrations in schools. However,
most commenters favored testing during
the school year (as opposed to summertime
testing) under closed conditions with the air
handlers off. Major school testing programs
are underway, and some mitigation is tak-
ing place. Increased activity in testing and
Printed on Recycled Paper
-------
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Air and Energy Engineering
Research Laboratory
Research Triangle Park NC 27711
Research and Development
EPA/600/S9-91/026 Oct. 1991
y EPA Project Summary
Proceedings: The 1990
International Symposium on
Radon and Radon Reduction
Technology
Ronald B. Mosley, Compiler
The proceedings of the 1990 Interna-
tional Symposium on Radon and Radon
Reduction Technology are contained in
three volumes. Volumes 1 and 2 contain
47 oral papers and 13 panel papers, while
Volume 3 contains 45 poster papers. The
presentation of these papers provided
an opportunity for and stimulated the
exchange of information among partici-
pants on a variety of topics relating to
indoor radon and its control.
The symposium was jointly spon-
sored by EPA's Air and Energy Engi-
neering Research Laboratory and its
Office of Radiation Programs. The meet-
ing was held in Atlanta, Georgia, on
February 19-23, 1990. Participation
reached nearly 600 representing fed-
eral, state, and local governments, ra-
don measurement companies, radon
mitigation companies, research orga-
nizations, academia, construction com-
panies, real estate and relocation com-
panies, and school facilities personnel.
This Project Summary was developed
by EPA's Air and Energy Engineering
Research Laboratory, Research Triangle
Park, NC, to highlight the key findings of
the symposium. The results of recent
research are fully documented in the
three volumes of the proceedings by the
same title. Information for ordering the
full proceedings Is at the back of this
summary.
Introduction
The papers contained in the proceedings
cover a broad range of topics including:
government programs, policies, and public
information relating to radon, radon-related
health studies, radon measurement meth-
ods, radon surveys, radon entry dynamics,
radon in the natural environment, radon
reduction methods, radon prevention in new
construction, and radon issues in schools
and other large buildings. It was revealed
that, in spite of the recommendations by
both EPA and the Surgeon General for
everyone to test their houses, less than 5%
of the homeowners have tested for radon. It
was also noted that most of the measure-
ments that are being made are stimulated
by real estate transactions. Most people
who test do not follow up with mitigation,
and frequently those who do mitigate end
up with an inferior installation because they
elect to go with the lowest bidder. A 1989
study of 473 radon mitigation systems in
New Jersey indicated that 56% of the post-
mitigation measurements on the lowestfloor
were below 4 pCi/L, compared to only 38%
in a similar 1988 study.
Limited studies of the reliability of mitiga-
tion systems indicate that many subslab
depressurization systems are operating sta-
bly after 2-4 years. One common failure has
been the capacitor in the fan. A limited set of
studies support the argumentthat a subslab
depressurization system with a passive stack
may be a judicious first step for builders in
radon-prone areas.
Differences of opinion still abound con-
cerning the best procedures for measuring
radon concentrations in schools. However,
most commenters favored testing during
the school year (as opposed to summertime
testing) under closed conditions with the air
handlers off. Major school testing programs
are underway, and some mitigation is tak-
ing place. Increased activity in testing and
v Printed on Recycled Paper
-------
mitigating schools is anticipated for the near
future.
Participants were welcomed by Georgia
State Representative Frank Redding. An
invited Lead Talk was presented by Vernon
Houk, Assistant Surgeon General from the
Centers for Disease Control. Houk dis-
cussed implications of radon health risks to
the public, and emphasized the importance
of reducing these risks. His characterization
of health risks was followed by keynote
speaker, Richard J. Guimond, Director of
EPA's Office of Radiation Programs.
The keynote address challenged partici-
pants in three areas: (1) to continue to
explore science as a means to improve
measurement technology, mitigation tech-
nology, and preventive capabilities; (2) to
not lose sight of the "big picture"—reducing
health risks—and that, if errors are inevi-
table, they should be made in the interest of
protecting the public health rather than ex-
cessive scientific conservatism; and (3) to
foster cooperation among the many groups
(scientists, federal and state governments,
educators, measurement and mitigation in-
dustries, and the building trades) in order to
protect the public interest and the public
health.
Volumes 1 and 2 — Papers
Volumes 1 and 2 contain 47 papers (pre-
sented orally in the nine sessions listed
below) and 13 papers on measurements
and measurement methods (presented in
panel discussions). The titles, principal au-
thors, and affiliations are listed below for
each session. Papers for Sessions I-IV are
in Volume 1; those for Sessions V-IX are in
Volume 2.
Session I: Government
Programs, Policies, and Public
Information Relating to Radon
Dennis Wagner, Chairperson
EPA-Offlce of Radiation
Programs
EPA's Radon Action Program: Accomplish-
ments and Future Challenges
Margo Oge, EPA-Office of Radiation Pro-
grams
Regulation of Radon in Drinking Water
Gregory Helms, EPA-Office of Drinking
Water
"Social Marketing" and the Reduction of
Indoor Radon
Thomas J. Bierma, Illinois State University
Public Policy Considerations and the De-
velopment of a Code for the Control of
Radon in Residences
Mike Nuess, Washington Energy Extension
Service
Evolution of EPA's National Radon Mitiga-
tion Training and Quality Assurance Pro-
grams
Jed Harrison, EPA-Office of Radiation Pro-
grams
Session II: Radon-Related
Health Studies
Christie Ehmann, Chairperson
Centers for Disease Control
Lung Cancer Mortality Among Nonsmoking
Uranium Miners Exposed to Radon Daugh-
ters
Robert J. Roscoe, National Institute for
Occupational Safety and Health
Radon and Lung Cancer Among New Jer-
sey Women
Janet Schoenberg, New Jersey State De-
partment of Health
EPA's Approach to Assessment of Radon
Risk
Anita Schmidt, EPA-Officeof Radiation Pro-
grams
Radon Daughter Exposure in Dwellings and
Multiple Myeloma
Inge Tell, Lund University, Sweden
Whole Body Counting of Radon Daughters
Robert A. Schlenker, Argonne National
Laboratory
High Radon Houses: Questions About Log
Normal Distributions and Implications for
Epidemiology and Risk Assessment
Robert Goble, Princeton University
Session III: Radon
Measurement Methods
Samuel T. Wlndham
Chairperson, EPA-Eastern
Environmental Radiation
Facility
Time Series Linear Regression of Half-
Hourly Radon Levels in a Residence
David A. Hull, Princeton University
Experience with the Wire Screen Unattached
Fraction Measurement Technique,
Douglas Van Cleef, EPA-Eastern Environ-
mental Radiation Facility
Panel Discussion on QA/QC of
Radon Measurements
Terry Howell, Moderator
Quality Assurance and Quality Control in
the Radon Measurement Industry: What is
Missing?
Terry Howell, Radon Reduction and Test-
ing, Inc.
Comparison of the Electret-Passive Radon
Monitor System with Charcoal Canisters in
Controlled Environments
James R. Summers, Analyses Corporation
A Radon Chamber Comparison of Alpha
Track Detectors Over a Range of Expo-
sures
William M. Yeager, Research Triangle Insti-
tute
A Study of Batch Calibrations on 4" Open
Faced Charcoal Absorbers from Four Dif-
ferent Manufacturers and How They Com-
pare to EERFs Published Calibration Curves
Dallas L. Jones, Radon Reduction & Test-
ing, Inc.
Calibration of Alpha-Track Monitors for Mea-
surement of Thoron (Rn-220)
Mark D. Pearson, UNC Geotech
Quality Assurance Procedures for Home
Radon Testing
Richard Tucker, Radonics, Inc.
Panel Discussion on ShorWLong-
Term Radon Measurements
Richard Sextro, Moderator
Issues in the Use of Short-Term Radon
Concentration Measurements for Evaluat-
ing Long-Term Exposures
Richard Sextro, Lawrence Berkeley Labo-
ratory
The Relationship Between Winter Screen-
ing and Annual Average Radon Concentra-
tions in U. S. Homes
Melinda Ronca-Battista, Scientific and Com-
mercial Systems Corporation
Temporal Patterns of Indoor Radon in North
Central Florida and Comparison of Short-
Term Monitoring to Long-Term Averages
Charles E. Roessler, University of Florida
Study on the Reliability of Short-Term Mea-
surements to Predict Long-Term Basement
Radon Levels in a Residence
T. Agami Reddy, Princeton University
-------
Results of Short-and Long-Term Radon
Measurements in Soil and Dwellings by
Alpha Track Detectors
L. Tommasino, ENEA-DISP, Rome, Italy
A Statistical Analysis: Predicting Annual
^Rn Concentrations from 2-Day Screen-
ing Tests
S. B. White, Research Triangle Institute
Session IV: Ration Surveys
Paul Wagner, Chairperson
EPA-Reglon 4, Office of
Radiation
Radon Exposure in Connecticut: Analysis
of Three Statewide Surveys of Nearly One
Percent of Single Family Homes
Alan J. Siniscalchi, State of Connecticut
Department of Health Services
Residential Radon Survey of 25 States
Jacolyn A. Dziuban, EPA-Office of Radia-
tion Programs
Surveys of Radon Levels in Homes by Uni-
versity of Pittsburgh Radon Project
Bernard L. Cohen, University of Pittsburgh
Radon in Norwegian Dwellings
Terje Strand, National Institute of Radiation
Hygiene, Norway
Session V: Radon Entry
Dynamics
William J. Angell, Chairperson
University of Minnesota
A Simplified Modeling Approach and Field
Verification of Airflow Dynamics in SSD
Radon Mitigation Systems
Kenneth J. Gadsby, Princeton University
The Role of Diffusion in Radon Entry Into
Houses
Allan B. Tanner, U. S. Geological Survey
Soil Gas and Radon Entry Potentials for
Substructure Surfaces
Bradley Turk, Consultant
Measurements and Modelling of Radon In-
filtration Into a Dwelling
P. Stoop, Kernfysisch Versneller Instituut,
the Netherlands
Session VI: Radon In the
Natural Environment
Bob Fakundiny, Chairperson
New York State Geology
Department
Benchmark and Application of the
RAETRAD Model
Vern C. Rogers, Rogers & Associates Engi-
neering Corp.
Geologic Controls on Radon Occurrence in
Georgia
L. T. Gregg, Atlanta Testing and Engineer-
ing
Correlations of Soil-Gas and Indoor Radon
with Geology in Glacially Derived Soils of
the Northern Great Plains
R. Randall Schumann, U.S. Geological
Survey
Geologic Factors and House Construction
Practices Affecting Indoor Radon in
Onondaga County, New York
Charles Laymon, New York State Depart-
ment of Health
Geologic Controls on Indoor Radon in the
Pacific Northwest
James K. Otton, U.S. Geological Survey
Session VII: Radon Reduction
Methods
Michael C. Osborne
Chairperson
EPA-Air and Energy
Engineering Research
Laboratory
Evaluation of Sub-Slab Ventilation for In-
door Radon Reduction in Slab-on-Grade
Houses
D. Bruce Henschel, EPA-Air and Energy
Engineering Research Laboratory
Radon Mitigation Experience in Houses with
Basements and Adjoining Crawl Spaces
Marc Messing, INFILTEC
Engineering Design Criteria for Sub-Slab
Depressurization Systems in Low Perme-
ability Soils
Charles S. Fowler, Southern Research In-
stitute
Radon Mitigation Techniques for Basement
Houses with Poor Sub-Slab Communica-
tion
Bobby E. Pyle, Southern Research Institute
One-Year Follow-Up Study of Performance
of Radon Mitigation Systems Installed in
Tennessee Valley Houses
Charles S. Dudney, Oak Ridge National
Laboratory
A Cost-Effectiveness Comparison of Pri-
vate-Sector Radon Remediation with Tradi-
tional Radiation Protection Activities
Daniel J. Strom, University of Pittsburgh
The Effectiveness of Radon Reduction in
New Jersey
Nick DePierro, New Jersey Department of
Environmental Protection
Long-Term Performance and Durability of
Active Radon Mitigation Systems in East-
ern Pennsylvania Houses
Arthur Scott, American ATCON
Session VIII: Radon Prevention
In New Construction
Michael Nuess, Chairperson
Washington Energy Extension
Services
Evaluation of Radon Resistant New Con-
struction Techniques
Terry Brennan, Camroden Associates
Radon Mitigation Performance of Passive
Stacks in Residential New Construction
David Saum, INFILTEC
Sub-Slab Pressure Field Extension Studies
on Four Test Slabs Typical of Florida Con-
struction
Richard A. Furman, University of Florida
A Pilot Study to Evaluate Radon Resistance
of Films and Sealants Using Perf luorocarbon
Tracers
Mark Nowak, NAHB National Research
Center
The Use of Coatings and Block Specifica-
tion to Reduce Radon Inflow Through Block
Basement Walls
John S. Ruppersberger, EPA-Air and En-
ergy Engineering Research Laboratory
Session IX: Radon In Schools
and Large Buildings
Alfred B. Craig, Chairperson
EPA-AIr and Energy
Engineering Research
Laboratory
Radon Measurements in 130 Schools: Re-
sults and Implications
R. Thomas Peake, EPA-Office of Radiation
Programs
Radon Diagnostics and Mitigation inTwo
Public Schools in Nashville, Tennessee
Alfred B. Craig, EPA-Air and Energy Engi-
neering Research Laboratory
The Effects of HVAC System Design and
Operation on Radon Entry Into School Build-
ings
William A. Turner, Harriman Associates
Radon Mitigation Experience in Difficult-to-
Mitigate Schools
Kelly W. Leovic, EPA-Air and Energy Engi-
neering Research Laboratory
Air Pressure Distribution and Radon Entry
Processes in East Tennessee Schools
Linda D. Sinclair, Oak Ridge National Labo-
ratory
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Radon in Schools of Massachusetts
Lee Grodzins, NITON Corporation
Radon Gas Testing in Kentucky Schools:
Summer Testing Pragmatic Concerns and
Pressure/HVAC Considerations
Patrick S. Holmes, Alpha Spectra of Ken-
tucky, Inc.
Radon Surveys in Large Buildings - The
UCF Radon Project
Ralph A. Llewellyn, University of Central
Florida
Volumes— Papers
This volume contains a lead paper and 45
poster papers that were presented. The
titles, principal authors, and affiliations are
listed below for each session.
Lead Paper: Reducing the Health Risks of
Radon to the Public
Vernon N. Houk, (Invited
Speaker)
Assistant Surgeon General
Centers for Disease Control
Session I: Poster Papers
Indoor Radon Levels in Columbus and
Franklin County, Ohio, Residences, Com-
mercial Buildings, and Schools
Harry E. Grafton, Columbus, Ohio, Health
Department
Model Standards and Techniques for Con-
trolling Radon Levels within New Buildings
David M. Murane, EPA-Office of Radiation
Programs
The Florida Radon Research Program: Sys-
tematic Development of a Basis for State-
wide Standards
David C. Sanchez, EPA - Air and Energy
Engineering Research Laboratory
Ten Practical Lessons for an Effective Ra-
don Risk Communication Program (Abstract
Only)
Ann Fisher, EPA-Office of Policy, Planning,
and Evaluation
Interactive House Investigation and Radon
Diagnostics Computer Program
Lynne M. Gillette, EPA-Office of Radiation
Programs
Community-Based Radon Education Pro-
grams
Joseph Laquatra, Cornell University
Session II: Poster Papers
Radon-Induced Lung Cancer Risk Estimates
for the New Jersey Population
Mary Cahill, New Jersey Department of
Environmental Protection
Indoor Radon Exposure in Norway and Lung
Cancer Risk
Tore Sanner, Institute for Cancer Research,
Oslo, Norway
Validity of Various Epidemiological Ap-
proaches to Assessing Radon Health Risk
Susan M. Conrath, EPA-Office of Radiation
Programs
Assessment of Health Impacts of Radon
Exposures in Florida
W. T. Vonstille, University of Central Florida
Realistic Evaluation of Tester Exposure
Based on Florida Testing Experience
Richard A. Schrieber, Razman Associates
Session III: Poster Papers
An E-RPISU (Electret Radon Progeny Inte-
grating Sampling Unit): A New Instrument
for Measurement of Radon Progeny Con-
centration in Air
Paul Kotrappa, Rad Elec, Inc.
A Review of the Detection Technology in
the At Ease Radon Monitor
William E. Simon, Sun Nuclear Corporation
A Comprehensive Radon Assay System
Using Cellulose Nitrate Films
Anders Damkjaer, The Technical University
of Denmark
Two-Filter Continuous Monitor for Low Lev-
els of ^Rn and ^Rn
David Grumm, New Mexico Institute of Min-
ing and Technology
Accuracy and Precision of Passive Long-
term Radon Detectors as a Function of
Concentration and Exposure Time
Robert J. Lyon, EPA-Office of Radiation
Programs
The EPA Diffusion Barrier Charcoal Ab-
sorber for Radon Measurements in Indoor
Air
David J. Gray, EPA-Eastern Environmental
Radiation Facility
Session IV: Poster Papers
Survey of Radon 222 in Monroe County,
Pennsylvania
Paul N. Houle, East Stroudsburg University
Private Sector Radon Mitigation Survey
John Hoornbeek, EPA-Office of Radiation
Programs
Sampling Strategies of Radon Surveys: The
Italian Experience
Gloria Campos-Venuti, National Institute of
Health, Rome, Italy
First-Phase Study Design for the U. S. Navy
Radon Assessment and Mitigation Program
(NAVRAMP)
Richard B. Gammage, Oak Ridge National
Laboratory
Radon in Water Aeration System Opera-
tional Performance
Bruce L. Lamarre, North East Environmen-
tal Products, Inc.
National Residential Radon Survey
Frank Marcinowski, EPA-Office of Radia-
tion Programs
Session V: Poster Papers
Sub-Slab Suction System Design for Low
Permeability Soils
David Hintenlang, University of Florida
Interpreting the Vacuum Suction Test
Terry Brennan, Camroden Associates
Seasonal Variations of Indoor Radon Con-
centrations
Benny Majborn, Riso National Laboratory,
Denmark
Dynamic Multi-Compartment Modelling:The
Transport of Radon and Its Decay Products
Indoors
Craig P. Wray, G. K. Yuill and Associates,
Inc.
A Data Acquisition System for Monitoring
Radon Entry and Distribution
R. P. Sieber, University of Saskatchewan
Session VI: Poster Papers
Determination of Radon-Geologic Provinces
in the United States
R. Thomas Peake, EPA - Office of Radia-
tion Programs
Secular Variations of Radon in Metropolitan
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Mory M. Ghomshei, Orchard Geothermal,
Inc.
Radon in Soils, Caves and Homes of North
Central Tennessee
Paul D. Collar, U. S. Geological Survey
A Statistical Summary of Uranium and Ra-
don in Soils from the Coastal Plain of Texas,
Alabama and New Jersey
Linda C. S. Gundersen, U. S. Geological
Survey
-------
Effects of Regional and Seasonal Varia-
tions in Soil Moisture and Temperature on
Soil Gas Radon
Arthur W. Rose, Pennsylvania State Uni-
versity
Session VII: Poster Papers
Energy Penalties Associated with the Use
of a Sub-Slab Depressurization System
Mike Clarkin, Camroden Associates, Inc.
Long-Term Durability and Performance of
Radon Mitigation Subslab Depressuriza-
tion Systems
David T. Harrje, Princeton University
Radon Abatement System Ancillary Item
Ronald F. Simon, RF Simon Company, Inc.
Laboratory Studies of "Between the Rooms"
Radon Decay Product Removal Units
Dade W. Moeller, Harvard School of Public
Health
Radon Mitigation Techniques for Norwe-
gian Houses
Bjorn Lind, National Institute of Radiation
Hygiene, Norway
Session VIII: Poster Paper
Radon Reduction in Wood Foundation Sys-
tem
Roscoe J. Clark, Permanent Wood Foun-
dation, Inc.
Session IX: Poster Papers
Prediction of Maximum Radon Concentra-
tions in Schools Using Partial Sampling
Methods
William E. Belanger, EPA-Region 3
Commercial Mitigation Techniques Used in
Remediating a 2200 pCi/L Public Building
James G. Davidson, Radon Detection Ser-
vices, Inc.
EPA's School Protocol Development
Study — Phase II
Anita Schmidt, EPA-Off ice of Radiation Pro-
grams
Radon Levels in Non-Residential Buildings
in New Jersey
Karen Tuccillo, New Jersey Department of
Environmental Protection
Electret Ion Chambers for Radon Measure-
ments in Schools During Occupied and
Unoccupied Periods
Kenneth D. Wiggers, American Radon Ser-
vices, Ltd.
Measuring Radon in the Workplace
Michael Boyd, EPA-Off ice of Radiation Pro-
grams
The School Evaluation Program
Eugene Fisher, EPA-Office of Radiation
Programs
•ftU.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 1991 - 548-028/40088
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