Where's the Radon? The Geographic Information System in Washington State

Abstract

As Washington's lead agency for radon issues, the Department of Health (DOH) is developing the analytical basis for establishing a public health policy regarding radon. The Geographic Information System (GIS) is a fundamental step in this analytical process to develop a map of the potential for indoor radon occurrence. The GIS analysis will take into account geology, geography, topography, soil permeability, indoor test results, population density and distribution, and housing. In addition, DOH is working to aid policy makers and residents by comparing residential exposures to the lowest exposure range at which miners evidenced excess lung cancers. This approach is a departure from the commonly used risk assessments that extrapolate from high to low exposure, and will help determine how many Washington residents are at risk. In conclusion there is an examination of Washington's radon prescriptive construction standards for residences.