One in 15 homes in the United States has elevated radon levels, and 21,000 deaths are attributed to this cause each year, second only to smoking in causing lung cancer deaths.
As a result, January 2011 has been declared “National Radon Action Month” by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and health and environmental agencies across the U.S. and homeowners and renters are being urged to test their homes for this gas. Offices, schools and government facilities are also being asked to test for the deadly carcinogen. Heightened awareness of the threat is resulting in large penalties and fines to owners from complaints of indoor air quality violations within the workplace.
The World Health Organization, the United Nations, and the President’s Cancer Panel have all called for stronger policies regarding radon gas, since 2009. Scientist world wide agree the threat is real. The WHO is using the measurement 1.7 pCi/L of air for radon, while the U.S. currently used 4.0.
“Based on this new standard, nearly twice as many homes and buildings that will require radon mitigation in the coming years,” said Ross Aton, a radon mitigator in Indiana and Kentucky.
During National Radon Action Month, the EPA, with the U.S. Surgeon General, are escalating efforts to educate the public about radon and its dangers and what can be done to correct the problem or minimize the health risk. The media is encouraged to participate in promoting any information possible.
“Radon is invisible and odourless, so one could live in a home with elevated levels for years without knowing it,” said James Gelina, owner of Air Quality Control Agency Inc., a radon remediation firm in the U.S.
“January is a perfect time for these awareness activities. Since homes are closed up for the winter, it’s an ideal time to assess indoor radon concentrations,” he said.
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