Genesee County Health Department

Better Life Through Better Health

Date: January 25, 2002               Kill Date: February 28, 2002

Contact:  Dorothy Gonzales, R.S.
              Sheryl Morey
              Environmental Health Division
              Genesee County Health Department

Phone: (810) 257-3603

Fax:     (810) 257-3125

Flint, Michigan - The Genesee County Health Department announced today that it is encouraging area residents to test their homes for radon.

The Health Department is observing February as Radon Action Month, an event representing a national effort to encourage Americans to test their homes for radon, and, as necessary, take action to reduce exposure to elevated levels.

Radon is a cancer-causing, radioactive gas. You can not see, smell, or taste radon, but it may be a problem in your home. Breathing radon gas is estimated to cause many thousands of lung cancer deaths each year. In fact, the Surgeon General has warned that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States today. Only smoking causes more lung cancer deaths than radon.

Radon occurs naturally in soil, rock, and water, and gets into the air you breathe. Radon enters buildings through cracks and openings in foundations, including floor and wall joints, sump openings and crawl spaces. Outdoor air dilutes radon, but the gas can become concentrated indoors to unhealthy levels.

You should test for radon. Testing is the only way to know if you and your family are at risk from radon. The United States Environmental Protection Agency and the Surgeon General recommend testing all homes for radon (with the exception of those homes located three or more floors above grade level).

Testing is easy, and during the month of February the Genesee County Health Department is giving away FREE test kits to their walk-in customers. Some hardware stores, home centers and other retail outlets also sell the do-it-yourself test kits. The Genesee County Health Department recommends testing your home for radon during winter months, as results are more accurate when performed under closed-house conditions.

You can fix a radon problem. There are simple ways to fix a radon problem that are not too costly. Even very high levels can be reduced to acceptable levels.

If you have further questions about Radon, contact the Genesee County Health Department at (810) 257-3603 or the National Radon Information Line at (800) 767-7236. If you have tested your home the Radon FIX-IT Program at (800) 644-6999 offers information on how to reduce radon levels, and a listing of certified radon mitigation contractors.

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