by Sean Ruppert, Staff Writer
The South Brunswick Township Council passed an ordinance on Tuesday that requires landlords to test rental properties for radon every five years.
The measure is the first to require mandatory testing of radon levels for rental housing in the township. It will go into effect on Nov. 30.
The new law is a continuation of an effort to ensure units are in satisfactory condition. The effort started with an ordinance adopted in May 2006 that required that all rental units be inspected by the township each time there was a change in occupants or owners. Under the new rules, owners will also have to present proof that a radon test showing acceptable levels was performed within five years of the inspection.
The inspections are done by a township inspector each time there is a change of occupancy or ownership in a rental property to protect the health and safety of the tenants. The proof of radon levels will have to be presented to the township before a Certificate of Compliance can be given to the property owner.
”We felt that radon is a serious thing,” Mayor Frank Gambatese said. “We passed these rules aimed at protecting renters, and this is just an addition to that.”
Radon is a gaseous radioactive element that is created by the decay of uranium, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. It is the second leading cause of lung cancer deaths in America, behind smoking but ahead of secondhand smoke, according to the EPA.
Uranium is present throughout all of the earth’s crust, so radon is present in almost all soil and water. The amount of radon in the soil can vary from house to house, and the amount of radon that escapes from the soil to enter the house depends on the weather, soil factors, and the suction within the house.
In addition to the radon checks, the rental inspections go beyond the fire safety inspections, already done annually through the township’s Fire Safety division. Those inspections include checking smoke detectors and fire extinguishers.
The rental inspections are done inside and outside the homes to ensure they are not infested with insects or vermin and that the walls and floors are in good condition.
In addition to multi-unit apartment complexes, the ordinance calls for the inspection of houses, condominiums and townhouses that are rented.
Properties transferred between spouses, former spouses as ordered as a decree of divorce, transferred between family members or by court order do not have to be inspected.
In addition, any rental unit that is inspected by the township and issued a new certificate of occupancy because of repairs or renovations that are made, does not have to be inspected by the rental officer.
