Educating public about radon is next challenge

Printed: September 26, 2002; The Decatur Daily News, online edition

THE DECATUR DAILY:

Decatur can be proud of leading the way in being the first city in Alabama to require radon-reduction systems in new homes.

A statewide meeting of health officials and extension agents in Birmingham on Tuesday included heavy praise for Decatur and discussions on how other cities could pattern Decatur's actions.

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

The city 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 30, almost 1,000 Decatur residents tested their homes for radon with kits from the county extension service with more than 16 percent coming back with levels exceeding EPA standards.

A major part of the credit for getting the radon reduction requirement passed goes to local oncologist Lane Price, who kept up pressure on city officials with information on how destructive this naturally-occurring, invisible, odorless gas can be.

As someone who sees the ravages of cancer daily, Dr. Price, director of the Decatur General Oncology Center, was in a position to lend credence to the argument for these safeguards.

She had to overcome officials' ambivalence to getting the code requirement adopted. But finally, the City Council listened when she told them that radon-caused lung cancer kills 30,000 people a year.