Natural Resources and Environment: Improvements Needed in the Environmental Protection Agency's Testing Programs for Radon Measurement Companies: T-Rc

GAO discussed the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) voluntary Radon Measurement Proficiency (RMP) Program, which assessed the capabilities of companies providing radon measurement results to homeowners and state efforts to control radon measurement companies. GAO noted that: (1) EPA envisioned RMP as a federal/state effort, with the federal government responsible for testing firms and encouraging them to adopt quality assurance procedures, and states providing further regulation or requiring participation in RMP and quality assurance programs; (2) the number of firms demonstrating proficiency through RMP increased from 24 in 1986 to about 660 in 1990; (3) RMP did not ensure that measurement results were accurate or that firms would not market measurement devices that had not been tested or that had failed testing; (4) many industry officials believed that RMP participation should be mandatory and that EPA should require firms to establish quality assurance programs; (5) nine states had programs, five of which were mandatory, to certify, license, or accredit radon measurement companies, and all nine programs required RMP participation; (6) five of the programs had quality assurance requirements; (7) 20 other states may establish programs; and (8) lack of EPA guidance could be one reason state program requirements varied.