January is Nation Radon Action Month! Brookings, Oregon is currently at High Risk status at a level 8! What is Radon? Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that is colorless, odorless, and tasteless. It is formed by the natural breakdown of uranium in rock, soil and water. Radon gas moves up through the soil and can be drawn into our homes by slight pressure differences. Once inside, radon can become trapped and build up to unsafe levels. The U.S. Surgeon General warns that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer after cigarette smoking and the number one cause of lung cancer in non-smokers. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that radon causes around 20,000 deaths from lung cancer annually in the United States. Fortunately, radon levels in homes, schools and buildings can be measured with a simple test. Testing for radon is easy, inexpensive and effective. If high radon levels are found, they can be reduced by using proven mitigation techniques. Testing homes for radon is simple and inexpensive. Radon test kits can be purchased at local hardware and home improvement stores, or online from radon test kit supply companies. Many test kits are priced between $15 and $25. Radon problems can be fixed by qualified contractors for a cost similar to that of many common home repairs, such as painting or having a new water heater installed. The best time to test for radon is during the heating season, when the windows and doors are closed up tight. This is when you would expect to find the highest radon levels in your home. “Radon has been detected in homes all across Oregon. The only way to know if your home has high radon levels is to test, Sherry says. The Radon Program is joining the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in urging Oregonians to take action and test their homes for radon during January as part of National Radon Action Month. Radon levels vary throughout Oregon depending on the underlying geology. Residents can see what levels have been detected in their neighborhoods by visiting the Radon Program website at healthoregon.org/radon, which lists radon test data by city and Zip code. There are many cities and Zip codes in the state for which the Radon Program has little to no data. In an effort to get a better understanding of the radon potential across the state, the Radon Program is offering a free radon test kit to residents whose homes are in Zip codes with fewer than 20 radon test results. Residents can visit the Radon Program website to see if they are eligible. Those living in Zip codes where there are fewer than 20 test results can send an email to [email protected] to receive instructions on how to get a free test kit, which will be provided while supplies last. For more information on radon, radon testing and mitigation, radon-resistant new construction, or to order a test kit online, call the Oregon Radon Program at 971-673-0440 or go tohealthoregon.org/radon or visit the EPA’s website at epa.gov/radon/nram. In 2008, EPA asked for 30-60 second video submissions with the theme Radon: Test, Fix, Save a Life encouraging Americans to test and fix their homes for radon, and we received more than 30 entries. The winning entry in the Radon Video Contest, titled “Eddie’s Story,” featured the true story of lung cancer survivor Eddie Metcalfe. Eddie’s Story has now been developed into a powerful media campaign spearheaded by EPA to raise radon awareness. The new Eddies Story Radon Public Service Announcements (PSAs) are being used throughout the country to highlight the dangerous health risk of radon. Watch his story on YouTube: https://youtube/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=WcvoZ1pP3ak References: Jonathan Modie, [email protected], Oregon Health Authority, epa.gov
Posted on: Thu, 08 Jan 2015 00:59:43 +0000
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