1. The North Carolina Radon Program
   

2. 
   

3. Radon is a natural gas that is formed when uranium decays.  Uranium is in the geological formations throughout North Carolina.  Radon is emitted at varying levels and in different locations of North Carolina.  When homes or other buildings are built on top of these geological formations, the people living or working in those buildings can be exposed to this radiation by breathing in the radon gas.  Long-term exposure to radon at certain levels has been found to cause lung cancer.
   

1. The lead agency for radon activities in North Carolina is the N.C. Radiation Protection Section (RPS) of the Division of Health Service Regulation of the Department of Health and Human Services. This agency is the main point of contact for radon activities to the citizens of this state.
   

2. The responsibilities of the RPS include radioactive material license inspections, electronic products radiation evaluations (mammography, tanning and X-rays machines), environmental radiation monitoring and nuclear emergency preparedness. The Environmental group of RPS performs statewide environmental monitoring and emergency preparedness around nuclear facilities, and statewide background radiation detection. The radon program of this group is also involved in public information, residential and school monitoring projects and acts in a technical advisory capacity for other State and county agencies involved in radon gases.
   

3. The RPS is also the sole state agency for the federal State Indoor Radon Grant (SIRG).
   

4. RPS receives SIRG grant funding from the Environmental Protection Agency each year and administers them according to submitted work plan in the application. NCRP will work with agencies within and outside State government and coordinate efforts of each radon activity group to avoid duplication. RPS has worked with the N. C. Division of Health Service Regulation, Department of Public Instruction, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC-CH), North Carolina State University (NCSU), NC Cooperative Extension (NCCE), the NC Geological Survey Section (NCGS) , the NC Division of Epidemiology, NC Division of Water Quality and NC county health departments of Guilford, Forsyth, and Yadkin.

N.C. Radon Program Priorities

1. 1)Empowering home owners with information on how to test their home for radon;
   

2. 2)Encouraging radon resistant new construction techniques;
   

3. 3)Disclosure testing and mitigation in conjunction with real estate transfers;
   

4. 4)Developing coalitions, which work in partnerships with local governments, partner affiliates and other radon risk reduction leaders.

Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Disclaimer        Updated 02/20/13     Contact Us

NCDHHS .  NC Radiation Protection .  1645 Mail Service Center . 

Raleigh, NC 27699-1645   Office (919)571-4141 .  Fax (919)571-4148 .