DATE:
January 3, 2007
KILL DATE:
January
31, 2007
CONTACT: JOSEPH
REUTHER
ENVIRONMENTAL SANITARIAN
GENESEE COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT
PHONE:
810-257-3603
FAX:
810-257-3125
January
is National Radon Action Month
The Genesee County Health Department announces today it is encouraging
area residents to check the radon gas levels in their homes during
National Radon Action Month. The U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Richard Carmona
has issued a national health advisory on the risks of breathing radon gas
in our homes. Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the
U.S.
,
causing approximately 21,000 deaths each year. Michigan Governor Jennifer
Granholm has proclaimed that January 2007 is Radon Action Month.
Radon is an invisible, odorless and tasteless gas
that seeps into homes from surrounding soil.
It has no immediate health symptoms. When radon gas becomes trapped
in homes, it can be harmful at elevated levels. During cold weather we
spend more time indoors with windows and doors closed, potentially
breathing unhealthy levels of radon.
A statewide survey indicates that elevated levels
of radon would be expected in one out of eight homes in
Michigan
. In
some counties, as many as 45% of the homes could have radon levels above
the EPA recommended action guideline of 4 pico curies per liter of air.
Radon levels vary considerably from house to
house. The only way to know if your home has radon gas is to test for it.
It is easy to check your home for radon. Test kits are available year
round from the Health Department for $6.00 each. During the month of
January, however, the kits are available at no charge. Some hardware
stores, home improvement centers, and other local retailers sell the
do-it-yourself test kits. Professional testing services are also
available, though they are most often used for testing as part of a real
estate transaction. If
elevated levels are found, they can be reduced with various ventilation
techniques.
County residents are urged to pick up a free test
kit from the Genesee County Health Department during normal business hours
through the month of January. The
Health Department is located at
630 S.
Saginaw Street
in
Flint
.
Citizens interested in finding out more about
radon can contact the Genesee County Health Department at
(810)
257-3603
, or log
onto www.michigan.gov/deqradon
or www.gchd.us .
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