A bill that encourages schools to test for radon is headed to Gov. Eric Holcomb’s desk. It passed unanimously in the House on Tuesday.
Radon is a naturally-occurring, odorless gas that seeps into buildings from the soil. Exposure to radon is the leading cause of lung cancer in people who don’t smoke in the U.S. It’s estimated to cause more than 21,000 deaths every year.
The bipartisan bill would require the Indiana State Department of Health to recommend schools test for radon, though it wouldn’t make testing mandatory. Day cares also aren't required to test of the gas.
Sen. Eric Bassler (R-Washington) says he was inspired to write the bill after hearing that most schools don't test for radon.
According to an Environmental Protection Agency map, several counties in the state have high average radon levels in indoor air.
READ MORE: Bill Encouraging Radon Testing In Schools Passes State Senate
Indiana Environmental reporting is supported by the Environmental Resilience Institute, an Indiana University Grand Challenge project developing Indiana-specific projections and informed responses to problems of environmental change.
