State law will let tenants get info on radon levels

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Updated: February 1, 2012 8:07AM

SPRINGFIELD — A new state law will allow tenants to access information on whether a home has been tested for radon, a naturally-occurring radioactive gas known to cause lung cancer.The law takes effect Sunday.

According to the Illinois Emergency Management Agency, owners of rental units must inform tenants before a lease is signed whether the place has been tested for radon. If testing hasn’t been done, tenants can do it themselves or ask the owner to have it done.

IEMA says that if levels are high, the tenant should tell the owner in writing.

Officials say radon is the second-leading cause of lung cancer in the U.S., and the leading cause among non-smokers. There are an estimated 1,200 radon-related lung cancer deaths each year in Illinois.