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November 16, 2005
(937) 374-5660 or toll-free at 1(866) 858-3588
Citizens Urged to Test Homes for Radon the
Second Leading Cause
of Lung Cancer in the U.S.
Xenia,
Ohio, January 2006 – The Greene County Combined Health District is aligned with
the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Ohio Department of Health and the
Regional Air Pollution Control Agency in a campaign to educate Americans about
the dangers of radon exposure and to encourage them to take action to identify
and fix radon problems in their homes. To this end, the Greene County Combined
Health District is continuing to distribute free radon home testing kits to
Greene County residents. This is in conjunction with January which is National
Radon Action Month. The purpose of the month is to draw attention to radon as a
serious public health issue and, more importantly, to motivate Americans to take
action to protect themselves from radon health effects. It is a health hazard
that is present in elevated levels in about 50% of area homes.
Radon
is naturally occurring, invisible, odorless gas that is harmlessly dispersed in
outdoor air, but when trapped in buildings, can be harmful at elevated levels.
The science on radon has been formidable over the years, but never before have
we had such overwhelming scientific consensus and robust data to support that
exposure to elevated levels of radon causes lung cancer in humans.
The
National Academy of Sciences (NAS) in February, 1998 presented the findings of
their Biological Effects of Ionizing Radiation (BEIR) VI Report: “The Health
Effects of Exposure to Indoor Radon.” This report by the NAS is the most
definitive accumulation of scientific data on indoor radon. The report confirms
that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the U.S. and that it is
a serious public health problem. The NAS concluded that radon causes between
15,000 and 22,000 lung cancer deaths each year. “However,” says Margaret Burns
from the Greene County Combined Health District “because you can’t see or smell
radon, people tend to minimize the health effects and ignore the possibility
that it might exist in elevated levels in their homes.”
Testing
homes for elevated levels of radon is simple and inexpensive. And, if
discovered, radon problems can be fixed. Radon test kits that meet EPA
guidelines are available free to Greene County residents from the Greene County
Combined Health District. Radon problems can be fixed by qualified contractors
for a cost similar to that for many common home repairs such as painting or
having a new water heater installed (anywhere from $500 to about $2,500).
The
Greene County Combined Health District urges Greene County residents to take
action during this year’s National Radon Action Month by testing their homes for
elevated levels of radon. It is a serious public health hazard with a
straightforward solution. For more information on radon, radon testing, and
radon mitigation, call the Greene County Combined Health District at 271-0508.
Greene County Combined Health District – Your center for public health
services and health information in Greene County for over 70 years.
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