EPA urges Americans to Test for Radon
January 15, 2005
Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States with about
20,000 lung cancer deaths each year related to radon exposure. A radioactive,
invisible, odorless gas that comes from the decay of naturally occurring uranium
in the earth's soil, radon can accumulate in homes at dangerous levels. Winter
is an opportune time to test for radon because families spend more time indoors
during the winter months.
The EPA's latest Assessment of Risks from Radon in Homes reports that radon
causes an estimated 21,000 lung cancer deaths per year -- more than the
estimated yearly death toll from drunken driving (17,400), falls in homes
(8,000), drowning (3,900) and home fires (2,800).
The EPA recommends that consumers retest their homes after radon mitigation.
Testing also should be performed in a newly built home with radon-resistant
features. In addition, the EPA recommends retesting homes every two years to
ascertain whether radon levels remain low.
Simple, inexpensive do-it-yourself radon test kits are available at local
hardware stores. EPA recommends that houses with radon levels of four picocuries
or higher of radon can and should be fixed to prevent accumulation of radon gas
indoors. To get more information about radon, and learn how to receive a
discounted radon home test kit:.
Contact: John Millett 202-564-7842 /
millett.john@epa.gov
Additional Source of Information:
