Radon story enough to raise your curiosity

Printed: July 28, 2002; The Decatur Daily News, online edition

THE DECATUR DAILY:

Radon is a naturally occurring, cancer-causing, radioactive gas that seems to be more prevalent in this area than in others. Trapped inside homes, radon can kill the people who live there.

It is odorless and invisible. The only way to detect the gas is through testing, which most people don't do.

That may be enough reason to lead some Decatur City Council members to decide the harmful effects of radon don't concern people, thus it isn't something that should be put on the council agenda for discussion and a vote. The proposal is to make it part of the building code.

It is easy to understand the passivity of people when you look at the evolution of the automobile seat belt. There is no question about the seat belt's role in saving lives of people involved in automobile wrecks. Yet, the Legislature had to pass a law requiring their use. Only recently have law enforcement agencies begun campaigns to ticket motorists who fail to abide by the law.

No public outcry demanded such a law, just as the public isn't clamoring for passive radon reduction systems for new homes. But that didn't mean seat belts are unnecessary.