Community Family Government

‘Record High’ Radon Levels Found in Center Valley Homes, DEP Says

Est. Read Time: 3 mins

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) announced Friday that “record high levels” of radon were discovered recently in several homes in Center Valley, Upper Saucon Township, Lehigh County.  The DEP is now urging residents of the Center Valley area to have their homes tested for radon, letters have been mailed to more than 500 Center Valley households, and an open house with DEP officials has been scheduled for Thursday, Dec. 4 from 4 to 8 p.m. at the Upper Saucon Township Municipal Building.

The Upper Saucon Township Municipal Building, 5500 Camp Meeting Road, Center Valley, will host a public forum with DEP officials on Thursday, Dec. 4, 2014. High radon levels were recently discovered in several Center Valley homes.

The Upper Saucon Township Municipal Building, 5500 Camp Meeting Road, Center Valley, will host a public forum with DEP officials on Thursday, Dec. 4, 2014. High radon levels were recently discovered in several Center Valley homes.

The addresses of the individual homes that tested high for radon have not been made public because Pennsylvania law forbids doing so, according to the DEP.

The following is from the DEP’s news release, issued Friday:

“Radon is a colorless, odorless, radioactive gas that occurs naturally through the breakdown of uranium in soil and rocks. It can enter a home through cracks in the foundation or other openings. Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in Pennsylvania and causes about 20,000 lung-cancer deaths in the U.S. every year.

“Several homes in the Center Valley area were found to have radon levels of over 1,000 picocuries per liter (pCi/L). One specific home tested at 2,750 pCi/L and is one of the highest radon values ever recorded in the state. These levels are hundreds of times more than the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) action level of 4 pCi/L; a level where a home should be remediated to lower the radon concentration.

“‘This community serves as an important reminder to all Pennsylvania residents to test their homes for radon,’ Acting DEP Secretary Dana Aunkst said. ‘Protect yourself and your family from this invisible, cancer-causing, radioactive gas.’

“Area residents are invited to an open house with DEP’s radon professionals to learn more about this threat and how to mitigate it. The open house will be held from 4 to 8 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 4 at the Upper Saucon Township Municipal Building, 5500 Camp Meeting Road, Center Valley. Residents will receive lists of area companies certified by DEP to perform radon testing, mitigation and laboratory analysis.

“DEP has sent letters to more than 500 Center Valley area residents in the local area with very high radon levels urging them to test their homes. Pennsylvania law prohibits DEP from publicly identifying any private residences’ radon testing results. The department has, however reached out to the local school district to ensure that radon testing has occurred in the schools.

“Testing for radon is the only way to know if a home, school, workplace or other structure has elevated levels of radon. The best time to test is during the cold-weather months when windows and doors are closed and the radon levels are often at their peak. Most test kits can be purchased at hardware or home improvement stores at an average cost of $15 to $25 per test.

“While radon problems may be more common in certain regions of the state, the potential exists for any home in Pennsylvania to have high radon levels. Radon has been detected in all 67 counties, making Pennsylvania particularly prone to elevated radon levels. About 40 percent of homes in the state have radon levels above EPA’s action level.

“For this reason DEP certifies all radon testers, mitigators and laboratories doing business in the state. This ensures all radon tests performed provide quality results, and those who remediate radon problems do quality work.

“For more information about radon, including information on interpreting test results and finding a Pennsylvania-certified radon contractor, visit www.dep.state.pa.us, keyword: Radon, or call 800-23-RADON.”

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About the author

Josh Popichak

Josh Popichak is the owner, publisher and editor of Saucon Source. A Lehigh Valley native, he's covered local news since 2005 and previously worked for Berks-Mont News and AOL/Patch. Contact him at josh@sauconsource.com.

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