Dec. 18, 2009 - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is working with the California Department of Public Health in a nationwide campaign to educate Americans about the dangers of radon exposure and to encourage them to take action to protect their homes and families. The California Department of Public Health Indoor Radon Program is conducting a radon survey in western Nevada County this year as part of National Radon Action Month and participants will receive a free radon test kit.
Because of the occurrence of granite in Nevada County there is a higher probability of having elevated radon. Radon is a naturally occurring, invisible, odorless, tasteless gas that is dispersed in outdoor air to very low levels, but can reach harmful levels when trapped in buildings. Scientists have long been concerned about the health risk of radon, but never before has there been such overwhelming proof that exposure to elevated levels of radon causes lung cancer in humans.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that radon is responsible for more than 20,000 lung cancer deaths per year. Radon is the leading second leading cause of lung cancer in the U.S. after smoking and the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers.
Testing homes for elevated levels of radon is simple and inexpensive. During National Radon Action Month radon test kits can be purchased through the California Department of Public Health Indoor Radon Program for $5.00. Radon problems can be fixed by qualified contractors for a cost similar to that of many common home repairs such as painting and roof repair.
Nevada County Department of Environmental Health urges residents to take action during this year's National Radon Action Month by testing their homes for radon. Radon poses a serious threat to our community's health but there is a straightforward solution. For more information on radon, and participating in the radon survey, call the California Department of Public Health Indoor Radon Program at 916-449-5674 or visit their Web site at http://cdph.ca.gov/radon.
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