The Need for Radon Testing

With all the bargains in the housing market today and with even better deals probably in the offing, Radiation Safety Services Inc. (RSSI) anticipates brisk sales of its radon testing kits. RSSI's radon detectors have established an enviable record of accuracy and reliability, thanks in part to a specially formulated conductive PA 6 compound from Techmer Lehvoss Compounds.

Radon is a radioactive gas. It rises from the ground essentially everywhere and is the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers. Invisible, odorless, and tasteless, radon seeps into houses and other buildings, where it can accumulate to dangerous levels--the equivalent of smoking ten or more cigarettes a day. Radon-induced lung cancer causes up to 21,000 deaths per year in the U.S. alone.

So, smart house shoppers ask for a radon report. If the developer or current owner hasn't tested the house for radon gas, it may be time to order one of RSSI's $25 kits (www.rssi.us).

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) calculates that a serious radon hazard exists in 7% of all U.S. houses. The danger is much more pronounced in radon hot spots. These blanket half of the land in the lower 48 states--from the eastern flank of the Rocky Mountains, through the Midwest above the Mason-Dixon line, to both sides of the Appalachian Mountains. The EPA's radon map is at www.epa.gov/radon/zonemap.html.

Other locations can be just as threatening, though. The EPA reports that high levels of radon have been found in every county in the U.S. The presence of this radioactive gas can even differ significantly between houses across the street from each other. A relatively safe reading in one house in a subdivision is no assurance that a nearby house won't need remedial work to divert the radon gas. This typically costs $800 to $1,500. The only way to know a radon level is to test for it.

"Given the insidious danger that radon poses, it's crucial that people use an accurate system to test for it," says Tom Drye at Techmer Lehvoss Compounds. "TLC is proud that our Electrafil NY-7/EC material has been an important component of RSSI's system for many years."

Electrafil NY-7/EC is a polyamide 6 compound blended with carbon powder that enables it to dissipate static electricity. That's a vital property of RSSI's Alpha-track Radon Detector. The radon gas detection element resides inside the conductive polyamide injection-molded housing that is about the size of your hand. This housing has slotted vents that allow airborne radon gas particles to enter.

If the housing didn't dissipate static electricity, radon particles traveling through the vents could pick up a static charge from the plastic housing--and that could produce errors. "Static charge can adversely affect the dispersion of particles onto the detection media," explains Roger Marsh, RSSI’s Radon Manager.

The problem is that charged radon particles attract each other, so they tend to form clumps or stacks on the detector foil. "If this happens," says Mr. Marsh, "it can lead to inaccurate readings when our laboratory analyzes the detector element. But TLC's NY-7 product has eliminated all problems associated with static."

TLC always recommends that customers conduct appropriate end-use testing and analysis whenever selecting a material option. Performance testing by customer determines suitability of TLC materials for the application. TLC is an ISO 9001:2000-certified company.

TLC is a major producer of high performance engineering compounds for the plastics industry. The company specializes in custom-engineered thermoplastic compounds including Luvotech™, Luvocom®, Plaslube®, and Electrafil® products where innovative design, superior service, and the highest quality are essential.

Tom Drye, Director of Sales & Marketing TECHMER LEHVOSS COMPOUNDS, LLC #1 Quality Circle Clinton, TN 37716 (865) 425-2121 (865) 457-9125 FAX tdrye@techmerpm.com www.tlcompounds.com

Herbert Margrill     Margrill and Associates     154 Chambers Street     New York, NY 10007     (212) 608-6270     (212) 608-7756 Fax     margrill@aol.com