A radon specialist is encouraging the Ocala City Council to adapt new radon resistant construction standards.
Tim Wallace, who appeared on behalf of the Florida Department of Health Radon and Indoor Air Quality program, made the remarks during the May 18 meeting of the Ocala City Council.
“We know that radon is a problem in Florida. Our statewide data tells us that one out of five homes has a radon problem at or above the action level,” said Wallace.
He went on to say that in Marion County, that number is one out of every three homes.
“In some neighborhoods [in Marion County], it’s one out of two homes. That’s much higher than the national average of one out of fifteen homes,” added Wallace.
On account of the gas being odorless and transparent, the only way to determine radon levels in a home is to test for it, which Wallace recommends everyone do.
“If levels are high, we recommend you take action to remove it,” said Wallace, adding that the Florida Department of Health is hoping that local municipalities will consider adopting “radon resistant” construction standards that he said already exist in the building code.
“We’ve asked Marion County government to do this and we’re going out across the cities and counties in Florida,” explained Wallace. He indicated that other local cities have already adopted the standards, including Dunnellon.
The Department of Health Radon and Indoor Air Quality program was original created by the State Legislature in 1988 as the Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services Radiation Control / Radon Program, a statewide program responsible for aiding the public in protecting itself from unnecessary radiation exposure from radon. Over time the program has evolved and now can supply technical information in dealing with general indoor environmental or air quality and toxicology related exposure issues. The program now part of the Public Health Toxicology Section includes a statewide coordinator for indoor air quality in addition to the radon group.
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