Denver, CO, June 09, 2023 - The Radon Disclosure Bill for Residential Property (SB23-206) was signed into law on June 5, 2023 by Governor Jared Polis, making Colorado the tenth state to pass a radon notification law. This bill establishes that buyers or renters of residential property have the right to be informed of whether radon tests have been performed and if a radon system is present in the home. Educational materials about radon will be provided when buying or renting a home and buyers and renters will see a warning statement that advises testing the home for radon and mitigating the hazard if elevated radon levels are found.
Additionally, if a landlord fails to notify the tenant or fails to mitigate an elevated radon level, tenants may void their lease.
This bill was introduced on the heels of Governor Polis proclaiming January 2023 as National Radon Action Month for the state of Colorado. Sponsored by Senator Faith Winter and Representatives Dafna Michaelson Jenet and Emily Sirota, this bill experienced bipartisan support, passing the Senate with a vote of 23 to 9 and the House with a vote of 51 to 11. This law helps protect Colorado families from the risks of radon exposure. Radon is the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers and second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States.
Radon is a colorless, odorless, naturally occurring, radioactive gas that occurs from the breakdown of uranium in the rock and soil around one’s home. Colorado has an estimated average indoor radon level above 6.0 pCi/L, which is substantially higher than the EPA action level of 4.0 pCi/L. Radon causes 21,000 lung cancer deaths in the United States per year and approximately 500 lung cancer deaths in Colorado per year.
“We know that radon awareness laws help save lives,” says Bryan Coy, President of the Rocky Mountain Chapter of the American Association of Radon Scientists and Technologists (AARST). “Knowing about the risks of radon in Colorado increases conversations about the health effects of radon and the chances that people will voluntarily test their homes for radon.”
In his letter to the Colorado Senate and the 74th General Assembly, Govern Polis states that this law will “help inform Coloradans of the health impacts of radon and options for mitigation.“ The law improves public health and safety, increases transparency of disclosures, and can be implemented at virtually zero cost.
About Rocky Mountain AARST (RM AARST)
The Rocky Mountain Chapter of the American Association of Radon Scientists and Technologists is dedicated to serving the educational and business needs of radon professionals and to saving lives by protecting the public through the promotion of radon awareness and radon testing and mitigation by qualified professionals. More can be learned on their website: https://rockymtnaarst.org/.
Contact
Rocky Mountain AARST
Bryan Coy
(720) 629-9819
https://rockymtnaarst.org/
