EPA Administrator Whitman Urges Home Testing for Radon


EPA Administrator Whitman Urges Home Testing for Radon, Commemorates National
Radon Action Month

EPA Administrator Christie Whitman urged Americans to heed January as National
Radon Action Month by testing their homes for one of the leading causes of lung
cancer in the country, indoor radon gas. Approximately one home in 15 across
the nation has unacceptably high radon levels; in some areas of the country,
as many as one out of two homes has high levels. “As many as 22,000 people
die from lung cancer each year in the United States from exposure to indoor
radon,” Whitman said. “Yet Americans could help prevent these deaths
and protect their families by testing their homes for radon as soon as possible.
Not only is radon testing a sound investment in the long-term health of your
family,” Whitman added, “but it could also be a good investment
in terms of the resale value of your home. In many areas, radon testing is a
required part of real estate transactions.”

Since the passage of the Indoor Radon Abatement Act of 1988, EPA has provided
more than $10 million annually to states and other public health and consumer
protection organizations to help promote public awareness about the importance
of radon testing. About 20 million homes are estimated to have administered
radon tests, about 700,000 homes with elevated radon levels have been fixed
and about 1 million new homes have been built with radon-resistant features.

Among many activities, EPA partners with the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture (USDA)
and their extension services, the National Safety Council, state and local government
agencies and other not-for-profit and commercial organizations to conduct an
annual national poster contest to heighten awareness of radon. The national
poster contest concludes with the winner and their parent(s) or guardian brought
to EPA Headquarters for an award ceremony and a photo opportunity with the EPA
Administrator and other top-level officials. This year's poster winner is a
6th grader from North Carolina who received a plaque and congratulations from
Administrator Whitman, Dr. Colien Hefferan, Administrator of the Cooperative
State Research, Education and Extension Service at USDA and representatives
from partners in ongoing radon outreach efforts. The winning poster will be
distributed across the country as part of radon public awareness efforts.

Since January is designated as National Radon Action Month, EPA and partner
organizations are sponsoring activities around the country to increase awareness
of the health risks of radon. Radon levels can soar during the colder months
when residents keep windows and doors closed and spend more time indoors. Radon
can also be a danger in summer when homes are closed tight for air conditioning
purposes.

Radon, a radioactive product of the element radium, is invisible and odorless
and occurs naturally in soil, rock, and water across the country. Although relatively
harmless when diluted in the open air, radon can pose a serious health threat
when concentrated indoors. When inhaled, radon releases small bursts of energy
that can damage the DNA in lung tissue over time and lead to lung cancer.

Radon test kits, sold at home improvement and hardware stores, are easy to
use and provide accurate readings of home radon levels. EPA and the U.S. Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention warn that homes with radon levels of 4 pCi/L
(picoCurries per liter of air) or higher pose a danger and should be fixed by
an experienced contractor. For help in finding a contractor near you, visit
EPA's radon website below and click on “find a qualified radon service
professional.”

Although some areas of the country have naturally higher radon levels than
others, EPA recommends that everyone test their home because isolated radon
"hot spots" can occur anywhere. EPA also recommends testing in schools,
work places, community centers and other buildings where people spend long periods
of time.

For more information about radon testing, call EPA's hotline at 800-SOS-RADON
or visit: http://www.epa.gov/iaq/radon.

This page originally created: Tuesday, January 14, 2003