Date Published: 05/12/2020 [Source]
Iowa City pushed back its plans to verify radon testing at single family detached and duplex rental units to July 1, 2021, due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The city announced a new policy requiring these properties to be tested for hazardous radon levels in January.
The ordinance was going to go into effect on July 1, 2020. The city says it's delaying the start date by a year to limit the spread of COVID-19 by reducing contact between staff and the public.
The city says radon testing is an important measure for improved public health. The Iowa Department of Public Health says radon is the number one cause of lung cancer among non-smokers.
Iowa's indoor radon average of 8 picocuries per liter (pCi/L) is more than six times the national average. The EPA recommends that all Iowa homes be tested for radon, and homes with indoor levels over 4 pCi/L be fixed.
For more information visit icgov.org/radontesting.