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The push to make radon testing a requirement in Kentucky schools

For now testing for radon, a radioactive gas known to cause lung cancer, is an elective in area schools.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Required testing is part of any curriculum at Kentucky schools, but one which could go a long way to protect the health of students, teachers and staff is not.

For now testing for radon, a radioactive gas known to cause lung cancer, is an elective in area schools.

However, a bill is being drafted to make that a requisite.

MORE | Some Kentucky, Indiana schools fail to test for cancer-causing radon

Kyle Hoylman, owner and operator of Protect Environmental, is also President of the Kentucky Association of Radon Professionals.

Hoylman has lobbied for more radon requirements in both Kentucky and Indiana, and the bills he has helped work on have recently passed into law.

Now, Hoylman wants to ride the momentum to achieve a state requirement for mandatory radon testing in schools.

“There's no reason for our children and our teachers to be exposed to a Class A human carcinogen,” Hoylman said.

That exposure potential is high in Kentuckiana where in Jefferson County, Kentucky alone Holyman claims 60% of all buildings, including schools, have a radon problem.

However, schools can’t know there’s a problem unless they test and the Environmental Protection Agency recommends that schools do test, at least once every five years.

Hoylman says he is still trying to find a sponsor to sign onto a bill to require school radon testing.

He knows bills often fail in the legislature if they are an unfunded mandate.

“My experience has been the willingness of the Kentucky legislators to take on this issue, there's a lot of interest, they want to make sure that our schools are healthy and safe,” Hoylman said. “The question really comes down to how do we pay for it?”

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