Radon Action Month

Here we are, January again!  To start the New Year off on the right foot, please consider having your home tested for Radon.  Radon is a tasteless, colorless, and odorless gas that is radioactive.  Radon decay byproducts emit radiation for 3-4 days as they decay further.  If these particles have been inhaled, lung tissue is exposed to radiation during the decay process.  This exposure may alter cell reproduction rates, causing cancer.

Look for special offers on Radon testing kits from your local health department.  Listen for public service announcements on local radio and television stations, which may include special offers for Radon testing.  To learn more about Radon and the health effects of exposure, click on the links below.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

University of Kansas

U.S.G.S.

Test, Fix, Save a Life - the life you save may be your own.

Radon Action Month

Michigan Radon Action Month is January, and this year it seems to have passed by without a lot of attention. Radon gives off radiation as it deteriorates. As a gas, Radon is easily inhaled, and tends to attach itself to dust and other particulates in the air. Once Radon enters the lungs, radioactive solids are formed as the gas deteriorates. As these solids sit in the lungs, they give off radiation, which can alter the makeup of lung cells, thereby causing cancer. The only way to know if your home has elevated Radon levels is to test for Radon. There are many ways to do this. Some methods are free, such as procuring test canisters from your local health department, exposing them as directed, and sealing them and sending them to a lab for analysis. For more reliable tests, professional testing can be done. This typically costs between $95.00 and $130.00, depending on the testing agency and method. If you have not tested your home for Radon, please consider doing so. It could save your life.

Did You Miss Radon Action Week?

If you missed Radon Action Week, it is not too late to test your house for Radon. Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that has been linked to lung cancer. The federal government cites it as the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States, killing some 20,000 people per year. The U.S. E.P.A has set an action level of 4.0 pCi/l, and the World Health Organization has set an action level of 2.7 pCi/l. Find out more:

Michigan Department of Environmental Quality
Drinking Water and Radiological Protection Division
Radiological Protection Section
Environmental Monitoring Unit
Radon Program
3423 Martin Luther King Jr., Blvd.
P.O. Box 36030
Lansing, MI 48909
1-800-RADON GAS (1-800-723-6642)
State Radon Program Hotline that offers information and referrals.