Greene County Combined Health District
Announces January as National Radon Action Month
The Greene County Combined Health District in partnership with the American Lung Association and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announces the Radon Awareness Education and Action Campaign. This campaign is designed to educate county residents about the dangers of radon exposure and to take action to identify and address radon problems in their homes.
The campaign
takes place during January, National Radon Action Month. Radon is a
naturally occurring, invisible, odorless gas that when trapped indoors can be
harmful at elevated levels. A University of Toledo report indicates that 57% of
the homes tested in Greene County have high levels of radon.
The National
Academy of Science (NAS) confirms that radon is the second leading cause of lung
cancer in the U.S. causing 15,000 – 20,000 deaths annually. Radon is
considered a serious public health problem.
Margaret
Burns, Radon Education Coordinator for the health district encourages county
residents to test their homes. Burns states, “because you can’t see or smell
radon, people tend to minimize the negative health effects and ignore the
possibility that it might exist in their homes.”
Radon Test
Kits are available free of charge at the Greene County Combined Health District
office, 360 Wilson Drive, Xenia. Testing for radon is simple and radon problems
can be addressed by qualified contractors.
Radon is a
serious public health hazard with a straightforward solution. Test today! For
more information about Radon and Radon Testing, contact, Doris Kennedy, Health
Educator, (937) 374-5600 or 1-866-858-3588.