Radon gas responsible for approximately 20,000 deaths in the U.S.

Jan 13 2010

The Environmental Protection Agency has designated January as National Radon Action Month.  According to recent reports from the World Health Organization, radon gas is responsible for approximately 20,000 deaths in the U.S. and 100,000 deaths worldwide each year.  This equates to about 15% of all lung cancer deaths.  Statistically, radon is the leading cause of lung cancer for non-smokers and the second leading cause for smokers.  Learn more about radon gas at: http://www.MitigationSystem.com

The World Health Organization recently lowered their limit or "action level" for indoor radon levels from 4.0 to 2.7 (picocuries per liter) in response to several worldwide studies that point to health risks at lower exposure levels of the gas.  More than 100 scientists from 30 countries participated in the World Health Organization International Radon Project and assisted in the publishing of the Handbook on Indoor Radon which was released earlier this year.

According to EPA, over 8 million U.S. homes have dangerous levels of radon gas. The Surgeon General is urging the media, state health departments, and the press to participate in National Radon Action Month by helping to promote awareness of this silent killer. Testing for radon is easy and inexpensive.  "Radon test kits can be purchased from hardware stores, health departments, or online for around $20.00," states Jeff Finken; a certified radon mitigation specialist with Air Quality Control Agency.

All homes should be tested for radon regardless of the age of the home, geographic location, or type of construction.  Radon problems have been found in every state in the U.S. and since you cannot see, smell, or taste radon, the only way to know if your home is affected is to conduct a test. If you find that your radon levels are above the World Health Organization limit of 2.7, a qualified contractor can install a radon reduction system to fix the problem.