Encyclopedia of Environmental Science and Engineering, Volume I and II

RADON 1053

Radon Registry

In order to maintain an open channel of communication

with individuals who have already been exposed to elevated

levels of radon, the Department of Health developed a

Radon Registry for New Jersey residents. Participants in the

survey are advised of the most current information regarding

radon and lung cancer via a newsletter. Over 200 New Jersey

residents are participating in the registry.

Low Interest Loans

In comparison to the equity value of most New Jersey homes,

the cost of remediating a significant radon problem (i.e., initial

test results in excess of 20 pCi/1) is relatively small, currently

averaging about $1,200. There are, however, some New Jersey

resident would find a single expenditure of this amount quite

burdensome. In response to this potential problem, the New

Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency developed a

low interest loan program for affected residents. There are no

income requirements associated with the program and the rate

is at or below the best available loan rates, currently 7.875%.

For residents with severe radon problems (e.g., radon levels at

or above 200 pCi/1) an expedited loan application processing

procedure is available within three working days.

Additional Research

External to the funding provided in the radon legislation,

the DEP’s office of Science and Research and the New

Jersey Geological Survey are conducting research to deter-

mine radon in water levels in selected northern New Jersey

aquifers.

ASSESSMENT

The various state radon efforts provide a significant body

of data from which an assessment of New Jersey’s radon

problem can be drawn.

Preliminary radon concentration data from homes tested as

part of the statewide study are listed by country in Table 2. The

same data is organized by physiographic province in Figure 1.

These data are almost exclusively for single family homes.

Data on the testing on non-residential structures obtained

as part of the statewide study is summarized in Table 3.

All the radon test data presented here were obtained

using charcoal canisters^17 exposed for a period of four days

under the EPA recommended protocols.^18 All testing was

conducted during the period from November 15, 1986

through March 15, 1987 when closed house conditions

RADON CONCENTRATION (PCI/L)

<.5 1–.5–

.9 1.9 3.9 7.9 15.9 31.9 63.9 127.9 256

2– 4– 8– 16– 32– 64– 128– >256

7.4

17.2

21.9 21

13.9

13.1

3.5

1.3 0.4 0.2 0.1

0

10

20

30

40

50

FREQUENCY %

TOTAL MEASUREMENTS = 13, 287

FIGURE 2 Commercial firm radon test data distribution, basement measurements.

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