A Month for Action on Radon
Test Your Home for Radon Gas
Madison, WI, Thursday, January 03, 2008 - January is a month where most of us spend a lot of time indoors, which makes it a particularly good time to draw attention to the problem of radon gas. This is why Public Health for Madison and Dane County joins the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in using National Radon Action Month as an opportunity to provide the public with some important and useful information about radon gas and what can be done about it. What is Radon, and Why Worry? Radon is a cancer-causing radioactive gas. It's colorless and odorless and could be present in your home. The EPA estimates that radon is responsible for about 21,000 lung cancer deaths every year. About 2,900 of these deaths occur among people who have never smoked. If you smoke and your home has elevated radon levels, your risk of lung cancer greatly increases. Radon can be found all over the U.S. Radon comes from the natural radioactive breakdown of uranium in soil, rock, and water. It seeps into houses through cracks, sumps and other openings in basement floors and walls. Why You Should Test for Radon. Testing is the only way to know if you and your family are being exposed to radon. The EPA and the Surgeon General recommend testing for radon in the living area of the house where your family spends most of their time. Testing is inexpensive and easy -millions of Americans have already tested their homes for radon. Test kits generally cost between $5 and $15 at local hardware stores. Kits are also available through the Madison Dane County Public Health Department. If You Have a Radon Problem, You Can Fix It. If you discover that you do have a radon problem, there are simple and cost effective ways to take care of it. Even very high levels of radon can be reduced to acceptable levels. For more information regarding radon, visit the Wisconsin Radon Information Web site at: www.lowradon.org. Or, learn more at 608-242-6515 (Environmental Health Office, of the Department of Public Health for Madison & Dane County) or contact the South Central Radon Information Center at 888-LOW-RADON (569-7236). Protect your family and test your home! -END-
