I’ve written a fair amount about radon in the past, the vast majority (if not all of it) relating to residential real estate.  Yesterday’s article in the Camas-Washugal Post Record reminds us all that radon can be found anywhere, including the workplace.

In a press release issued yesterday, (Mayor Sean Guard) said radon is a natural element, which comes in with soil gas. According to United States Environmental Protection Agency standards, readings of 1.3 pCi/L (picoCuries of radiation per liter of air) are the indoor national average. Levels of 4.0 pCi/L indicate an ‘action level,’ which indicates the need to retest or fix the building, as recommended by the EPA.

“The six areas tested in Washougal City Hall registered from 11 pCi/L to 26 pCi/L,” Guard said. “The highest concentration, 26 pCi/L, was found in a closed basement storage area.”

Radon has become one of the more common home inspections that buyer’s conduct during their inspection contingency but is only one of the many listed in the Oregon Property Buyer Advisory. Radon is cited as the second leading cause of lung cancer behind smoking.

These are the radon maps for Washington and Oregon from the EPA website.