As a [PARENT/STUDENT/CONCERNED CITIZEN] in your district, I’m writing to urge you to support legislation that would make radon testing mandatory in schools.
In the past decade, 5 bills requiring testing in PA schools have been introduced, without receiving either a hearing or a committee vote. This needs to change. As the second-leading cause of lung cancer in the United States, we know that radon is a silent and deadly killer that can take years to reveal its damage.
An estimated 21,000 Americans die from radon exposure each year, and legislative inaction only allows that number to grow.
Pennsylvania has the third-highest radon levels in the country, but no laws requiring testing in public or private buildings.
We also know that children are particularly susceptible to radon exposure, due to their growing lungs and developing bodies. A child exposed to radon is twice as likely to develop lung cancer as an adult with the same level of exposure.
However, this does not mean our teachers are safe, either. Trib Live shared the stories of educators like Gail Orcutt (Iowa) and Annie Cacciato (Ohio), who both passed away from lung cancer. These women found that their schools had dangerously high levels of radon, and they worked tirelessly to advocate for mandatory testing before they died.
It is very important to the citizens of PA to see our legislators come together on this issue.
Support legislation that makes radon testing mandatory in schools.