Decatur code model for radon protection

By Eric Fleischauer
DAILY Staff Writer
Printed: September 25, 2002; The Decatur Daily News, online edition

BIRMINGHAM — Decatur is the first municipality in Alabama to require radon-reduction systems in new homes, but if the Alabama Cooperative Extension System has its way, it won't be the last.

At a statewide meeting of health officials and extension agents in Birmingham on Tuesday, the city of Decatur's radon requirement dominated the agenda.

"This is how it can work in every city in Alabama," said Harry Strawn, state Extension System radon program coordinator.

Julie Dutton, Morgan County's extension agent, outlined the role of the media and others in getting the code requirement adopted.

"Things were tabled and tabled and tabled. If you want something to go away, just table it. The newspaper articles really made the difference. Tabling was a way to make the issue die, but it did us a favor. It gave us time to educate the public and get some momentum going," Dutton said.

Sabrina Lyle, radon education technician for the state Extension System, said, "What happened in Decatur is the logical step."

Much of the program involved examining how to mimic the results from Decatur in other cities. To that end, Dr. Lane Price, director of the Decatur General Oncology Center, spoke to the group. Dr. Price said she found out about the issue in a newspaper article.

"At one point, they told people they needed more studies. Now y'all, there are studies coming out your ears on radon. In this day and age information is easy to get," Dr. Price said.

"I called the City Council president and she said, 'No, it probably won't pass because nobody is interested in it, and it probably does not matter anyway.' They were all opposed to it," Dr. Price said.

But finally, Dr. Price said, the City Council listened. Its members listened when she told them that radon-caused lung cancer kills 30,000 people a year.

"Thirty thousand may not seem like that much. But I'm not looking at 30,000 people. I'm looking at one patient who I know, who I love. And who dies," Dr. Price said.

Decatur is in an area labeled "Zone 1" by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, meaning that the radon threat in this area is in the highest category in the nation.

As of June 31, almost 1,000 Decatur residents tested their homes for radon with kits from the county Extension Service. More than 16 percent of those tests came in above the level considered hazardous by EPA.

Strawn said he is optimistic that Huntsville and Madison will adopt the radon reduction requirement.