Date Published: 05/11/2007 [Source]
Air quality tests performed in the Forbes basement library measured radon levels of 7.5 picocuries per liter (pCi/L), University officials announced in a press release Wednesday. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends that steps be taken to lower radon levels of 4.0 pCi/L or higher inside buildings.
The Forbes library will remain closed until the radon remediation work is completed, University spokeswoman Cass Cliatt '96 said, probably at least until the end of this school year.
Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that cannot be seen, smelled or tasted. It is the leading cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers and is responsible for more than 20,000 deaths every year, according to the EPA website.