News Release

January 7, 2003 

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.