Radon Professionals

Guidance on Radon Testing and Mitigation - July 1,  2003

This guidance is being provided due to changes in Sections 32.1-229 and 32.1-229.01 in the Code of Virginia and applies to all persons who conduct or offer to conduct any radon screening, testing or mitigation in the Commonwealth. Effective July 1, 2001, no person shall conduct or offer to conduct any radon screening, testing or mitigation in the Commonwealth unless he has been listed as proficient by the United States Environmental Protection Agency, the National Radon Measurement Proficiency Program of the National Environmental Health Association or the National Radon Safety Board Certified Radon Professional Program or any other proficiency program acceptable to the Board of Health to offer such screening, testing or mitigation. The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) will also make available to the public a list of qualified individuals.

In addition, Section 32.1-229.01 was modified effective July 1, 2003 and requires radon professionals listed as proficient to comply with radon mitigation and testing standards outlined in the Environmental Protection Agency's publication, EPA 402-R-93-078, as revised, or the American Society  and Testing Materials (ASTM International) Standard, E-2121-02, or any other radon testing and mitigation standards accepted by the Environmental Protection Agency and the Board. 

Key points are:

• The qualification requirements for radon professionals do not apply to the following:
• home owners testing their respective homes;
• businesses, such as hardware stores, that sell radon test kits,  as long as they neither place the test kits nor provide the test results directly to the customer;
• school employees who conduct radon testing incidental to their employment with the school; and
• builders who install a radon mitigation system during the construction of a home.
• The qualification requirements apply to radon testing in indoor air. These requirements do not apply to soil measurements, or radon in water analysis.

• Since the EPA Radon Proficiency Program has been terminated and the EPA informed participants that their credentials had expired and directed them not to represent EPA endorsement of their services to the public; then VDH will not recognize these individuals after July 1, 2001 for services provided after that date. See EPA's web site for their position on the status of previous participants: http://www.epa.gov/radon/radontest.html

• The VDH will use the lists of the National Environmental Health Association and the National Radon Safety Board as the basis for the state list of qualified radon professionals. However, the state list is not intended to be an inclusive list of all radon professionals in the nation, and VDH may confirm an individual's qualifications upon a citizen's request.

• The work or services of radon professionals must be conducted in accordance with EPA or industry standards, and is subject to regulatory review.  VDH intends to review the work of a radon professional only when VDH receives a complaint.

Contact information for those individuals interested in becoming a radon professional in Virginia:

The National Environmental Health Association (NEHA)
National Radon Proficiency Program
Administrative Office
P.O. Box 2109
24 Cardinal Ridge Road
Fletcher, NC  28732
Toll Free: (800) 269-4174 or (828) 890-4117
Fax: (828) 890-4161
http://www.radongas.org/ 
e-mail: angel@radon.com

The National Radon Safety Board (NRSB)
Michelle Wunderlich, Cartification Coordinator
14 Hayes Street,
Elmsford, NY  10523
Toll Free: (866) 329-3474
Fax: (914) 345-1169
http://www.nrsb.org 
e-mail: info@nrsb.org

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Radiological Health Program | James Madison Building, 7th Floor | 109 Governor Street,  Room 730 | Richmond, VA  23219 | Telephone (804) 864-8150 | Fax: (804) 864-8155

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