State launches program to test day cares for radon gas

The federal Environmental Protection Agency estimates one in five schools has a classroom with dangerous levels of radon--- a carcinogen you can’t see or smell. Radon is gas that occurs naturally in the soil, but it gets trapped in buildings. It’s also the number one cause of lung cancer in non-smokers, killing an estimated 600 people a year in Indiana.

Yet, Indiana does not require schools or day cares to test for radon. While the EPA does not have any guidance specific to childcare facilities, it recommends all homes and schools be tested for radon.