CR3 News Magazine 2019 VOL 5: NOVEMBER WHY Only $14 Million? | Page 5
Radon & Public Health Workshop,” which brought together over 50 local, state and federal
stakeholders—including community partners, medical and public health practitioners, academics
and legislators—to focus on the serious public health threat from indoor radon in Pennsylvania.
“Our goal for this workshop was to build a coalition of community stakeholders who work together
to develop and advance an action plan that leads to better policies in Pennsylvania,” says
Muhlenberg Assistant Professor and Director of Public Health Chrysan Cronin, who headed up the
workshop. “These policies would require radon testing and mitigation of schools, daycare centers
and rental properties as well as required testing during real estate transactions.”
Muhlenberg Assistant Professor and Director of Public Health Chrysan Cronin (right) speaks with President Kathleen Harring at the
radon and public health workshop.
Radon is a radioactive gas that is the second leading cause of lung cancer after smoking, yet many
people are unaware of its presence because it is odorless, tasteless, and colorless. The only way to
know if a building has high levels is to do a simple test. The Lehigh Valley has the highest levels of
indoor radon in the country, rst discovered in 1984. The workshop began with a look at the
progress achieved over the past 35 years in recognizing and addressing the serious public health