Radon Awareness Success in Region 3

Air, Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, radon, radon action month, Region 3, Shawn Garvin, Virginia 2 Comments

January, as National Radon Action Month, is a time to ramp up on radon awareness and celebrate the successes of the state indoor radon programs throughout the mid-Atlantic region.

Our mid-Atlantic partners have reached out to more than 2 million residents with information on what they can do to protect themselves from the dangers of radon.

Radon is a naturally occurring colorless, odorless radioactive gas, and is the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers, but testing for radon and reducing elevated levels when they are found can make your home healthier and safer.

Recognizing this, EPA and its state partners are highlighting radon testing and mitigation as a simple and affordable step to significantly reduce the risk for lung cancer.

For 2014, EPA awarded a total of $923,160 in State Indoor Radon Grants to the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, West Virginia Department of Health and Human Services, Virginia Department of Health, and the District of Columbia Department of the Environment. These grants will fund the states’ radon programs to address radon risk assessment, risk reduction and radon resistant new construction in homes and schools.

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Jan 21, 2014

Radon Action Month – Test, Fix, Save a Life

Air, janet mccabe, radon, radon action month 3 Comments

If you’re like most people that make New Year’s resolutions, you’re probably trying to start the year off on the right foot by doing things to improve your health. Just go to nearly any gym during the first few weeks of January and you’ll see what I mean! Whether or not you resolved to be healthier in 2014, there is one easy-to-do step that you can take to protect the health of you and your family: test your home for radon.

Radon is a radioactive gas that comes from the breakdown of natural uranium deposits in soil and it can seep into homes through their foundation. High levels have been found in homes all across the country. EPA estimates that one in fifteen U.S. homes has elevated radon levels – but in some areas, the number can be as high as one out of every two.

And why is radon a health issue? Because it can be deadly. Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States. Only smoking causes more. EPA estimates that about 21,000 people die from radon-induced lung cancer each year. It’s a very serious problem, but luckily there are simple solutions.